Foreign nationals are perfectly entitled to start a business in Switzerland, provided that they have a valid working permit (see Work permits).
Thanks to a relatively small number of regulations, setting up a business is quite simple in Geneva. Except for situations where the business is subject to licensing requirements, such as the banking industry for example, it is not necessary to obtain any specific authorisation.
All business forms defined in the Swiss Code of Obligations are available to foreign nationals. The legal forms most commonly adopted are sole proprietorships, limited liability companies (Sàrl) and corporations (SA).
Here is some information regarding the creation of such entities:
Choosing between one of these legal entities implies of course a clear understanding of the differences and implications in terms of liability risks, requirement of capital, business partners, possibility of hiring staff, taxation, etc.
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