Zurich Company Register

Starting a company in Zurich is an excellent idea. However, without the right connections, the company formation process can be tedious. At sigtax.com, our goal is to provide full support during this process, giving you a stress-free process appearing in the Zurich company register. In this article, we have outlined the benefits and steps involved in registering your company in Zurich.

If you own a business within and around Switzerland, then the name Zurich is not unfamiliar to you. Despite its small population, Zurich is known worldwide as a buoyant financial capital. A number of companies and organizations worldwide have been drawn to this city, because of the numerous benefits it offers.

Zurich gets intakes from several business sectors, the major ones being the tourism, textile, and machine industries. Registering a company in Switzerland has a strict, rigorous protocol. However, with the right company, the registration process can be straightforward.

Before you register your company in Zurich, you must choose its ideal structure. Here are the 7 main company structures in Zurich.

Types of business structures in Switzerland

If your company is running on a sole proprietorship, it means you work for yourself. This is mostly used by freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. The liability is unlimited, and if your company’s annual sales exceed 100,000 CHF, you must register it with the chamber of commerce. This is the most common company type in Switzerland and other countries in general.

This structure consists of two or more individuals operating a business. It is very similar to the sole proprietorship, only this time, it entails not less than two persons. In the partnership, there is also an unlimited liability, and the name of at least one of the partners should appear in the business name.

In this type of business, there is no minimum capital requirement. This method is an advanced type of general partnership and is used when there is a need to expand the financial base in a general partnership.

This is a common company structure in Switzerland. It is well liked by many foreign investors looking to start large-scale corporations. Here, at least one member of the board must be a Swiss resident. A capital of at least 100,000 CHF is needed for the registration of this company, and at least 50,000 CHF must be deposited before the registration can commence.

To start up this type of company, at least one corporate body is required, as well as a Swiss resident. There must be a commercial registration, and minimum share capital of 20,000 CHF should be paid for the process. The member’s liability is limited by their contribution to the capital.

If you own a subsidiary company in Switzerland, then you own a legal entity that has a part or all of its capital owned by foreign companies.

The branch and subsidiary company types are the two main ways a foreign company can lay its stakes in Swiss. By the time your company is a branch, it is fully financially independent of the headquarters, operating outside its home country. A Swiss resident having legal authority must be a part of the structure, and the branch must be registered with the Swiss companies register. A branch is required to pay taxes in Switzerland like every other normal Swiss company.

Zurich company formation benefits

Here's a quick rundown of the
various ways you can diversify your investment.

Low tax rates for companies in contrast to other countries;
Political and economic stability in the city;
Strategic location for business flourishing. Being close to other central countries like Germany and France, and the
presence of several financial institutions and business centers makes the business network stronger, making Zurich a
lucrative center to own a company;
In Zurich, there is a great quality of life with a good economy and high currency value;
The liberal labor market allows anyone including foreigners to incorporate and transact their businesses in Switzerland
without much hassle;
Switzerland has one of the best educational structures in the world. This ensures qualified graduates, hence, a highly
skilled workforce.

How to Register your company with Zurich

To start a company in Swiss, only one founder is required. The founder can either be a Swiss national or not. However,
you need to have one Swiss resident in the company's structure.

Here are the steps required to register your company successfully:

After you have decided the kind of company you wish to run, you need to choose the particular business structure
suitable for your business. If you are uncertain, you can inquire from business experts to find out the best structure to use;
The next step to take is the official documentation. Here you choose a legal name, get it approved by Switzerland’s
federal registry, and then sign all the necessary documents. This is also where you get to pay the minimum capital amounts and all required fees;
In the setup process which comes next, you form the board of directors . Bearing in mind that at least one director must
be a Swiss resident;
Other processes like social tax registration, staff insurance, auditing, and VAT registration must be completed.

After all necessary protocols are duly observed, you will own a fully registered company in Zurich, and you can begin
business operations.