Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

JOBS

Working in Switzerland: A weekly roundup of the latest job news

Find out all the latest information related to jobs in Switzerland with The Local's weekly roundup of relevant news.

Published: 1 September 2021 11:49 CEST
Working in Switzerland: A weekly roundup of the latest job news
The construction sector is booming. Photo by Justin TALLIS / AFP

Where the jobs are: The construction sector

After a slowdown in 2020, Switzerland’s construction industry is quickly recovering.

One sign of this positive development and bright prospects for the future is that construction companies are looking for apprentices to be trained for future positions.

To encourage people to learn this trade, professional associations highlight “an extremely dynamic labour market, as well as opportunities for career development and higher education”.

“It’s a very interesting job. You don’t have to be an expert, but you still have to have some knowledge of mathematics”.

In case you are wondering about wages is in this industry, they are based on skills, such as building engineer, mason, etc.

On average, however, construction workers earn over 62,000 francs a year, though it can be less or more, based on specialisation.

Important requirement for jobs in Switzerland: knowledge of languages
Being monolingual nowadays, especially in a multilingual country like Switzerland, has become a serious professional handicap.

Recruitment experts stress that finding a good job in Switzerland depends (apart from skills) on how many languages a candidate knows and how fluently.

“Companies are increasingly using recruitment firms to find multilingual candidates, especially those who speak French, English and especially German”, said Annalisa Job (yes, this is really her name), spokesperson for the Adecco Switzerland group.

Some companies make vaccinations obligatory for employees

Even though Swiss law does not allow employers to impose Covid vaccinations on their employees, some companies have already started to do so.

Swiss airline, for instance, has made inoculations compulsory for cabin crews starting from November 15th.

And y Geneva’s University Hospitals (HUG) announced that all medical personnel hired from September 1st will have to be vaccinated.

“We have an obligation to protect patients, staff and visitors. The hospital is safe, but we can further increase that security”, HUG director Bertrand Levrat said.
 

Teleworking is not an option for everyone

An increasing number of employees in Switzerland would like to continue working from home, at least some of the time.

While a number of Swiss companies is making it possible, this option is not open to everyone.

For instance, it automatically excludes people whose presence in the physical workplace is necessary.

This includes apprentices, since they must legally be supervised throughout their training period, as well as junior employees who need hands-on experience to be able to develop their skills.

“In this context, teleworking will never be established on a full-time basis. On the other hand, it should easily be able to be set up one to two days a week, or even three in certain sectors”, according to employment experts.

Did you know? Most companies in Switzerland pay wages to their employees based on a 13-month system.

The 13-salary system is not part of the Swiss labour law, though majority of employers use it.

When you get hired by a company that uses the 13-salary system, it means that your annual earnings are calculated on, and paid out in,13 instalments rather than 12.

Some companies don’t pay a 13th month’s salary but will pay higher monthly wages instead.

Your annual income will still be the same, it just depends on how it is divided – by 12 or 13.

You can find out more about this system here:

EXPLAINED: What is the 13th salary in Switzerland and how is it calculated?

Useful links

Looking for a job in Switzerland or just want a little more information about working here, then check out the following links. 

How to find English language jobs in Switzerland

Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerland

Getting fired in Switzerland: The employment laws you need to know about

The jobs roundup is new addition and we’d welcome any feedback or suggestions for areas it should cover. Please email us at [email protected]

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

GENEVA

‘Things have changed’: Can you get a job in Geneva without speaking French?

Geneva must be up there when picturing an international city where language is no barrier. Does this hold true for those looking for a job? 

Published: 15 March 2024 14:23 CET
Updated: 23 March 2024 08:42 CET
'Things have changed': Can you get a job in Geneva without speaking French?

Organisations such as the International Red Cross, the World Health Organisation, and the United Nations are either based in Geneva or have a significant presence there. 

Furthermore, the Geneva region has a population of over half a million, making it an ideal base for global businesses to reach Swiss (and European) markets. 

There is no doubt that the city is a centre of international diplomacy and business and has been for decades. 

Having said that, how hard is it to find a job in Switzerland’s largest francophone city? Or indeed anywhere in Suisse Romande in general? Do you have a chance of securing a role without French language skills? 

The expert view

Recruiters think you might find it challenging if you’re not planning to work for one of the major international bodies. 

Anthony Caffon, Director of Finance at Michael Page, a significant regional recruiter, told The Local: “From our perspective, as a large operator in West Switzerland, only a few roles don’t require candidates to speak French. 

“A few years ago, there was indeed a shortage of skills in the market, and coupled with major multinational companies located here, companies were open to employing non-French speakers. 

“We now notice a change. French is required in 90 percent of the roles we recruit outside international organisations. 

“Organisations would only take on non-French speakers in some highly technical roles, for which there is absolutely no local talent pool,” he said.

‘It was critical for wider job opportunities’

However, when surveyed, readers of The Local had differing perspectives on whether not knowing French was a hindrance to searching for a job in Geneva. 

Sofia, an American, responded: “It depends on the job and sector. French is desirable but not required for international organisations, NGOs, and many private companies such as EA Games or financial companies like Barclays.”

However, she noted that speaking French became more essential when settling in the country.

“It was critical for my Swiss naturalisation, but also to have a wider spectrum of job opportunities and better working relationships.”

Generally, to apply for Swiss citizenship in the canton of Geneva, one must achieve French oral B1 and written A2, as set in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

Michael, who lives near Lausanne, agreed with Sofia, telling The Local: “It depends if you work for a multinational or a local company.” 

“If you work for a multinational or Swiss company, you need French. But you can generally use English in the office at Nestle, BAT, PMI, Novartis, or WHO.”

Another respondent, Phil, believed that speaking French would assist in job searching. 

He stated, “I think it depends on your industry. If you work in the pharmaceutical area, then just English is fine.

“If you speak French, however, I think it’s easier to understand the application process and job descriptions.”

A Briton, Katie, thought speaking French could also help smooth the way when starting a new role in Geneva. 

She responded: “It shows you are curious about where you live. It helps build relationships with colleagues and, of course, for some jobs, it is needed.”

‘You can get by fine’

Those seeking to work in Geneva who don’t speak French shouldn’t fret just yet. 

An anonymous respondent from Ireland told The Local: “Some basic French is needed not to look utterly dysfunctional in casual social settings, but if the business works in English, then that is generally sufficient. 

“Once you can complete the technical requirements of your job well, you can get by fine,” they said.

“Some employers will specify that French and English are requirements on the job listings, even if you only need English to do the job. 

“Not having any French can put people off applying for many openings when, in fact, they might be fine applying anyway.”

What have you experienced finding a job in Geneva? Did you need French skills? Let us know in the comments. 

SHOW COMMENTS