[s3nnyy]

A tech job in Europe does not mean Berlin or London. Zurich has the ETH university and the biggest Google office outside the US. It is a great place to live and is the only place where net-salaries are on par with the Bay Area.

Salaries are in the range of 7000 - 10.000 CHF / month after taxes and apartments can be way cheaper than in San Francisco.

Zurich is expensive but als tiny. Almost everyone lives "in the suburbs" where the rents are half as much and which only means a 10-15 min commute[1] to town (using the superb public transport).

I am a technical recruiter with a software engineering background and I live in Zurich. You find my email address in my HN-handle.

[hollerith]

Can an American citizen without a college degree and without a million dollars in savings gain the right to live in Switzerland permanently ("permanent residency") if he can get a job there?

[s3nnyy]

If you do not hold a Swiss / EU-passport, it is hard. A Swiss company can get you a work permit, if they can prove to the authorities that no other suitable candidate could be found in Switzerland / in the EU. This can be done if the company really wants you.

So unless you are an expert in some field AND a company really knows you, the chances are unfortunately low. :(