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EMPLOYMENT

Why French cross-border workers choose to work in Switzerland

Nearly half of French workers living near the Swiss border are employed in Geneva. That’s because French companies can’t match the salaries these people are earning in Switzerland.

Published: 13 July 2020 11:23 CEST
Updated: 5 July 2022 10:47 CEST
Why French cross-border workers choose to work in Switzerland
Tens of thousands of French workers commute to Geneva daily. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

According to a report by Switzerland’s SRF television, more than 44 percent of French nationals who live near the Swiss border work in Geneva. 

These numbers are based on a report by the French Institute for Statistics and Demographic Studies.

About 85,000 workers commute to their jobs in Geneva each day from the nearby French regions of Haute-Savoie and Ain.

These employees – called frontaliers – prefer to work in Switzerland because they can earn up to double the salary they would get in France for the same job. Also, taxes are lower in Switzerland than in France.

This poses a problem for French companies located near the border, as they can’t find any personnel.

For instance, Jean Benoît-Guyot runs a plumbing business in the French commune of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, which is located right on the border with the canton of Geneva.

He said he would like to immediately hire at least five employees, but can’t find anyone locally.

“Everyone wants to work in Switzerland”, he told the SRF.

The same situation is common in Switzerland’s other border areas as well.

READ MORE: Will Switzerland extend the beneficial tax arrangements for cross-border workers? 

Kévin Lecoq, who lives in the French region bordering the Swiss canton of Jura told the SRF that at end of his cooking apprenticeship he didn’t even look for work in France, but went straight to Switzerland.

Today he works with four other French citizens in a pizzeria in the Jura town of Saignelégier.

“If we add up everything that has to be paid in taxes, we still have one and a half times the French salary”, he said.

Another cross-border effect of Swiss wages is that frontaliers are driving up the rents and living costs in the neighbouring areas of France. This, in turn, encourages even more French workers to seek employment in Switzerland.

But while the SRF report focused on the French, the same situation exists in cantons of Ticino and Basel, which share borders with Italy and Germany, respectively.

More than 67,000 Italian cross-border workers are employed in Ticino, and over 33,000 Germans are employed in Switzerland.

In total, 329,000 frontaliers work for Swiss companies.

Cross-border commuters can be employed in Switzerland thanks to a bilateral agreement,The Free Movement of Persons, that the government signed with the countries of the European Union. It allows EU nationals free access to the Swiss labour market.
 

Member comments

  1. I know that many who live in France choose to work in Switzerland due to higher salary, but I also know that for a lot of people, the process was the opposite. They were offered a job in Switzerland, but in certain Swiss cities (Geneva for example, which hosts a lot of French cross-border workers), there is a serious housing shortage, so a lot of people are forced to extend the perimeters of their housing search.

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JOBS

What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

Looking for a new job in Switzerland? We've put together some tips on where to search for that new role.

Published: 8 March 2024 15:58 CET
Updated: 24 April 2024 13:39 CEST
What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

The good news is that, as a country that serves as a world centre of finance, pharmaceuticals, and research, Switzerland offers an environment very friendly to English speakers. Unlike some European countries, hiring is a flexible and open process. 

That said, some hints will help you in your Swiss job search. 

Know where to look 

Before beginning your job search, knowing where most of your industry’s jobs are is essential. 

As The Local Switzerland has previously discussed, Zurich is Switzerland’s financial capital, whereas most pharmaceutical players are based in Basel. 

The life sciences are concentrated in ‘Health Valley’, stretching from Geneva to Montreaux. 

Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, and St Gallen also have large universities that employ many researchers from abroad. 

Knowing where jobs are based will allow you to concentrate your search, and give you the time to more fully research and understand the needs of particular companies.

READ MORE: Where are the jobs in Switzerland for English speakers?

Develop your Xing as well as your LinkedIn profile

Most job seekers within professional working environments will have a LinkedIn profile to share with prospective employers. 

Xing is also a significant player in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, and it’s normal for German-speaking professionals to have an accompanying profile on that platform. 

Developing your presence on Xing can demonstrate that you are gaining a greater understanding of the Swiss working environment and establishing yourself as a long-term investment. 

READ MORE: Can you find a job in Zurich if you don’t speak German?

Use specialised job boards 

While many of the big job boards operate in Switzerland—Indeed and Monster, for example—several job boards focus on Swiss jobs specifically or service a key segment of the job market. 

Jobs.ch, jobup.ch, and Jobscout24 are popular sites within Switzerland and are often the first port of call for job seekers. Each has an English version and a user-friendly interface.

Several specialist job boards exist for specialised roles, such as those in the IT or medical research sectors.

Using a profession-based job board allows employers to draw from a more concentrated talent pool while offering job seekers a more significant opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills. 

SwissDevJobs.ch is a popular destination for IT professionals, whereas Praxisstellen.ch specialises in pharmaceutical and medical research jobs. SwissTopJobs.ch is an excellent place to look for C-suite jobs in the finance and banking sectors. 

Networking is essential 

While there is often a perception that job hunting in Switzerland is very process-oriented, you may be surprised to learn that many positions are filled via word of mouth. 

Suppose you have friends or former colleagues already found a position within a Swiss firm. In that case, asking what positions are opening and whether you could apply is not unreasonable or rude. 

Word of mouth and hiring through connections are common in the Swiss IT field, but they are also common within several other industries, particularly among startups. 

Read More: Where are Switzerland’s biggest international companies?

Use your initiative 

You may also be surprised to hear that simply applying to a firm with your resume isn’t looked down upon in Switzerland (or the German-speaking world). 

This is known as an Initiativbewerbung (or simply ‘application on the initiative’), and employers often regard it very favourably.

To make an Initiativbewerbung, you’ll need your Anschreiben or lettre de motivation (cover letter), Lebenslauf or resume (curriculum vitae or CV), testimonials from other employers, and copies of any relevant certificates or qualifications. 

When naming these files, remember to use the German terms—it will help when they are searched for later!

It’s worth taking the time to identify and address your application directly to the head or manager of the particular department you’re looking to work within. This will create a stronger impression, and there’s less chance of losing it in the daily flow of emails and information. 

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