9CV9 Research Report · 2026
State of Hiring &
Recruitment in Switzerland
100+ Data Points · Labour Market Intelligence · Q1 2026 Edition
01 · Macro Labour Market Overview
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
March 2026 (SECO). Highest since April 2021 but still well below EU average of 5.7%.
152,280
Registered Unemployed
January 2026. Up +3.4% month-on-month, reflecting a softer hiring environment vs prior years.
80%
Employment Rate
Q4 2025, up from 79.8% in Q3. One of Europe's highest employment participation rates.
5.36M
Total Employed Persons
Peak in 2025 — the fifth consecutive year of growth. Estimated +0.56% year-on-year (IMF).
2.9%
Youth Unemployment
Ages 15–24, March 2026. Down from 3.1% in February — the lowest since July 2025.
48,800
Open Job Vacancies
March 2026 (SECO). Down from the 2022 record high of ~130,000 as hiring selectivity rises.
5.1%
ILO Unemployment Rate
Q3 2025 (FSO/SLFS). Higher than SECO's registered measure as it includes non-registered seekers.
84,000+
Long-Term Unemployed
2025 (ILO). 12+ months jobless — up from ~70,000 in 2023, though still below 10% of total unemployed.
1.1%
GDP Growth Forecast
SECO 2026 forecast. Below-trend growth constrained by weak exports and global uncertainty.
02 · Skills Shortage & Talent Demand
Source: Adecco Group Switzerland / University of Zurich Swiss Job Market Monitor (SMM) Skills Shortage Index 2025
-22%
Skills Shortage Index eased -22% YoY in 2025 — driven by rising job seekers (+17%) and falling vacancies (-8%). The index now sits at pre-pandemic levels overall, but remains structurally elevated in healthcare and skilled trades.
4
Only 4 of 32 occupational groups still show a net skills shortage as of 2025: Healthcare, Site Supervisors, Electricians, and Engineers. All others have moved to equilibrium or surplus.
-23%
Shortage eased -23% in German-speaking Switzerland, vs -17% in Latin Switzerland (French/Italian regions). The difference reflects Germany's weak spillover effect on border cantons.
12,000+
Nursing and care professional shortfall estimated by the Swiss Nursing Association (SBK/ASI) by 2025, driven by retiring baby boomers, demographic ageing, and retention failures.
40,000
IT specialist shortage forecast by 2030 (ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz) — particularly acute in cloud, cybersecurity, and AI/ML engineering despite near-term easing from AI productivity gains.
50,000
FTE positions could be missing within 10 years across healthcare, social care, education, and construction, according to cantonal government projections. A CHF 100M action plan is in progress.
27%
Net Employment Outlook
Q1 2026 (ManpowerGroup)
Q1 2026 (ManpowerGroup)
72%
Employers Struggling
to Fill IT/Dev Roles (2024)
to Fill IT/Dev Roles (2024)
47%
Companies Report Major
Hiring Difficulties (2026)
Hiring Difficulties (2026)
+9%
Healthcare Job Vacancies
Growth H1 2025 (Adecco)
Growth H1 2025 (Adecco)
03 · Wages, Salaries & Compensation
| Sector | Median Monthly Salary (CHF) | Annual Equivalent (CHF) | vs. National Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking & Finance | CHF 10,723 | CHF 128,676 | +53% |
| Pharmaceuticals | CHF 10,159 | CHF 121,908 | +45% |
| IT Services | CHF 9,412 | CHF 112,944 | +34% |
| Insurance | CHF 9,018 | CHF 108,216 | +28% |
| Education & Teaching | CHF 8,809 | CHF 105,708 | +25% |
| Research / Science | CHF 9,139 | CHF 109,668 | +30% |
| National Median (2024) | CHF 7,024 | CHF 84,288 | — |
| Healthcare / Nursing | CHF 5,300–6,200 | CHF 63–74K | -11% |
| Retail / Hospitality | CHF ~4,500 | CHF ~54,000 | -36% |
Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO) Wage Structure Survey 2024 / lenews.ch December 2025
+3.5%
Median salary rose from CHF 6,788 to CHF 7,024 between 2022 and 2024 — a nominal gain, though real wage growth was constrained by inflation in the same period.
CHF 7,150
Average gross monthly wage in 2025 (Trading Economics / FSO), up from CHF 7,024 in 2024. National median salaries projected to increase a further +1.8% in 2026.
+1%
Expected salary increase across Switzerland in 2026 — down from +1.4% in 2025. With inflation at ~0.5%, real purchasing power still edges upward for most workers.
CHF 24.59
Geneva minimum wage per hour as of January 2026 — indexed upward and the highest in Switzerland. Equates to ~CHF 4,262 gross/month for a 40-hour week.
8.4%
Gender pay gap narrowed to 8.4% in 2024 (FSO), down from 11.5% six years earlier and 16.6% in 2008. However, a separate FSO measure using SLFS data shows a wider 12% gap for full-time workers.
17.4%
PwC's Women in Work Index records a 17.4% gender pay gap in 2025 — significantly above the OECD average of 12.4%, placing pressure on Swiss employers to close the equity gap.
CHF 12K
Average annual bonus received by the ~33% of Swiss employees who receive variable pay. Bonuses remain concentrated in finance, pharma, and senior management roles.
11%
Low-wage job share remains at ~11% of full-time positions in 2024 — barely changed in 15 years. Hospitality, retail and personal services dominate this segment.
04 · Hiring, Recruitment & Workforce Trends
🔴 Sectors With Highest Demand
Healthcare & Nursing: +9% job vacancies H1 2025. Graduate health professions remain #1 shortage. Structural, driven by ageing + retirements.
IT, Cloud & Cybersecurity: Despite AI easing, demand for cloud engineers, data scientists and cybersecurity specialists is surging.
Construction & Electricians: Energy renovation (Strategy 2050) and urban growth drives robust demand for skilled trades.
Life Sciences / Pharma: Sector growing at +6% annually. Regulatory affairs, bioinformatics and cell/gene therapy outpace supply.
Finance / Risk / Compliance: Post-UBS–Credit Suisse merger restructuring creates new demand in risk, digital banking, and private client services.
📉 Sectors Cooling / Surplus
IT Admin / Office / Admin Roles: Declared in surplus by Adecco 2025 — AI automation is displacing demand faster than expected.
Generalist Management: Large companies (5,000+ employees) show NEO of just 9% — most cautious in Switzerland.
Manufacturing / Export Industries: Affected by US tariffs (previously 39%, then 15%) and weak German demand. Workforce freezes common.
Financial Services Headcount: Credit Suisse–UBS integration has cost 36,000+ jobs worldwide since 2023, suppressing net hiring in banking.
Gastronomy / Tourism: Facing structural difficulties despite moderate demand, with hiring hampered by skills mismatches and low wages.
30%
30% of companies hiring plan to replace departures, not expand. Growth hires are concentrated in digital transformation, compliance, and R&D roles (SWI Swissinfo / ManpowerGroup survey 2025).
-3%
Job vacancies fell -3% YoY in Q2 2025 and -1% quarter-on-quarter. IT, admin, and commercial professions were most impacted by the decline (Adecco Job Market Index Q2 2025).
-7%
German-speaking Switzerland saw -7% fewer job ads in H1 2025 vs H1 2024, while French/Italian Switzerland fell only -2%, reflecting Basel and Zurich's greater exposure to export sector headwinds.
20%
Diversity-driven hiring is a factor for over 20% of Swiss companies currently recruiting, reflecting a growing boardroom focus on DEI and ESG-linked workforce goals (ManpowerGroup 2025 survey).
87,000
Apprenticeship positions offered in 2025 — but 11,500 (13%) remained unfilled by August start date, revealing a persistent mismatch between company requirements and young people's competences.
66%
Swiss youth choose the vocational (apprenticeship) path after compulsory school. With 250+ officially recognised professions, Switzerland's VET system is a global benchmark for employer-linked training.
05 · Cross-Border Workers & International Talent
411,000
Cross-Border Workers
End of 2025 (FSO)
End of 2025 (FSO)
+21%
Growth vs Pre-COVID
(2019 baseline: 339K)
(2019 baseline: 339K)
8.5%
Share of Swiss
Workforce
Workforce
58%
France supplies 58% of all cross-border workers, primarily serving Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, and Jura. In Geneva alone, 114,700 foreign cross-border workers were active as of March 2025 (FSO).
22%
Italian workers form 22% of cross-border workforce, mainly employed in Ticino. German workers make up 16%, concentrated in Basel and northern border cantons.
+30%–40%
Purchasing power advantage for cross-border workers living in France or Germany — earning Swiss francs while paying eurozone living costs gives a 30–40% real income premium over Swiss residents.
25%
New "25% Rule" for remote work by cross-border workers from 2026 — maintaining G-permit status requires physical attendance in Switzerland on at least 20% of contracted working days under updated bilateral rules.
24,835
Record new French cross-border commuters registered in Geneva in 2024 — the highest figure since data collection began in 1989 (Geneva Cantonal Statistical Office, January 2025).
06 · AI, Digital Transformation & Future of Work
🤖 AI Impact on Swiss Jobs
AI-related job postings grew 10× from 2018–2022 (2,000 → 23,000). Stabilised at ~20,000 in 2024 (PwC AI Jobs Barometer 2025).
Required skills in AI-exposed roles change 66% faster than other roles — up from 25% the prior year.
Net skill updates in AI-exposed jobs are 138% higher than less-exposed occupations.
AI is boosting software developer productivity by up to 30% (Bain & Company), explaining reduced IT hiring despite strong digital demand.
Unions do not expect AI to cause mass unemployment, but note rising unemployment in AI-exposed IT, banking, and admin roles.
🏠 Remote & Hybrid Work
Remote/flexible job postings reached a record 14% of all listings in Q2 2025, more than 5× pre-pandemic levels (Indeed Switzerland).
Switzerland ranks just behind UK and Germany for flexible work job share among large Western economies.
Over 30% of Swiss workers work at least partly from home — among Europe's highest rates (EU-LFS / LSE analysis 2025).
86% of Swiss employers say remote work is key to retaining talent — highest among large Western European economies (Cisco 2025).
Tech hiring in 2026 focuses on hybrid-ready, domain-expert profiles — "junior-first" models are being replaced by experienced specialists (Source Group International 2026).
07 · Gender, Diversity & Inclusion
80.4%
Female Employment Rate
Well above OECD average of 72.7% — but many women remain in part-time roles (PwC 2025).
59.2%
Women in Full-Time Work
Fell from 60.7% — vs 90.5% for men. The gap reflects childcare costs and cultural norms.
17.4%
Gender Pay Gap (PwC 2025)
Above OECD avg of 12.4%. Women in intellectual/scientific roles earn 18% less than men.
20th
PwC Women in Work Index
Ranked 20th out of 33 OECD countries in 2025, up 2 spots. Iceland leads at #1.
20%
Women in Top Management
Only 20% of top management positions in Swiss companies are held by women (Schillingreport 2024).
6%
Women as CEOs
Just 6% of CEOs at surveyed Swiss companies are women, despite 37% female overall workforce share.
27%
Women on Supervisory Boards
+7pp vs 2021 survey. Still well short of parity and driven by quota-focused governance reforms.
100+
Employee Pay Audit Threshold
Swiss Gender Equality Act requires pay equity analysis for firms with 100+ employees. Repeats if gap exceeds 5%.
3.6–3.8%
Motherhood Wage Penalty
Estimated wage penalty women face after having children — a structural barrier to full career progression.
08 · Regional & Cantonal Labour Market
5.3%
Canton Jura has the highest unemployment rate at 5.3%, followed by Geneva (5.0%), Vaud, Neuchâtel, and Basel-Stadt (all above 4%). Concentrated in French-speaking regions (SECO 2025).
0.9%
Appenzell Innerrhoden has the lowest unemployment rate at just 0.9%, reflecting tight rural labour markets and a specialised industrial base in textiles and precision manufacturing.
CHF 7,502
Zurich median salary: CHF 7,502/month — significantly above the national CHF 7,024 median, reflecting the concentration of finance, tech, and pharma headquarters in the city (FSO 2024).
CHF 5,313
Ticino median salary: CHF 5,313/month — the lowest among major Swiss economic regions, partly offset by proximity to Italian labour markets and lower regional living costs.
+3%
Vaud stabilised the French-speaking job market in H1 2025 — its IT, microtechnology, life sciences, and international sports organisations sectors drove positive vacancy development despite national weakness.
900+
Blockchain/digital asset firms in Zug's Crypto Valley (2024), creating distinctive demand for digital assets, open banking, and Web3 talent in Switzerland's financial services landscape.
600+
Basel life sciences cluster: home to 600+ biotech and pharma companies including Novartis and Roche, making it the world's most concentrated pharmaceutical hub and a global talent magnet.
09 · Top In-Demand Roles & Salary Ranges
| Role | Annual Salary Range (CHF) | Demand Level | Key Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI/ML Engineer | 110,000 – 135,000 | 🔴 Critical | Google Zürich, UBS, Novartis |
| Cybersecurity Specialist | 95,000 – 125,000 | 🔴 Critical | Banks, Insurers, Utilities |
| Cloud Engineer | 105,000 – 130,000 | 🔴 Critical | Tech cos, Pharma, Banks |
| IT Manager / Tech Lead | 120,000 – 160,000 | 🟠 High | All major sectors |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 90,000 – 130,000 | 🟠 High | Pharma, MedTech |
| Graduate Nurse (HES/ES) | 63,600 – 74,400 | 🔴 Critical | Hospitals, EMS, Clinics |
| Data Scientist | 81,600 – 102,000 | 🟠 High | Finance, Healthcare, Logistics |
| Civil / Green Engineer | 85,000 – 115,000 | 🟠 High | Construction, Energy |
| Back-End Developer | 100,000 – 125,000 | 🟡 Moderate | Startups, Consulting, Banks |
Source: 9cv9 Blog Salary Analysis 2025 / Edstellar In-Demand Skills 2026 / OSAM Formations 2025
10 · Workforce & Policy Quick Facts
+10.3%
YoY Unemployment Rise
Unemployment rose +10.3% year-on-year in March 2026 (SECO) — the second consecutive annual increase.
CHF 300M
ALV Insurance Deficit
2025 Swiss unemployment insurance ran a CHF 300M deficit — small vs CHF 8B reserves but symbolic.
19%
Population Aged 65+
19%+ of Switzerland's population is aged 65+, the primary structural driver of healthcare shortages.
5%
Job Registration Threshold
Employers must register vacancies with RAV/ORP for occupations where national unemployment exceeds 5%.
9.45/10
Software Dev Research Score
Software development leads Switzerland's in-demand skills with a 9.45/10 demand score (Edstellar 2026).
+6%
Life Sciences Job Growth
Switzerland's life sciences sector demand grows +6% annually (scienceindustries), consistently outpacing domestic supply.
36,000+
CS–UBS Jobs Cut Globally
Credit Suisse–UBS merger eliminated 36,000+ positions worldwide since 2023, reshaping Swiss banking demand.
90%+
Upper Secondary Completion
90%+ of young Swiss people complete a school or apprenticeship certificate after upper secondary education.
250
Recognised VET Professions
Switzerland offers apprenticeship training in 250 officially recognised occupations — a uniquely employer-driven VET ecosystem.