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How hard is finding work in Zurich without speaking German?

With a strong and resilient job market, Zurich is a major destination for international workers. But how important is speaking German - and can you get by if you only speak English?

Published: 4 February 2022 15:06 CET
A woman drinks a cup of tea while looking at her laptop
Are you looking for work in Zurich? Here's what you need to know. Photo by Dai KE on Unsplash

Living and working in Zurich offers many draw cards from high salaries, a favourable work-life balance and international working environment.

In addition to the economic power of the city, which contributes an estimated 20 percent of the overall Swiss GDP, Zurich has additional permits available to attract foreign workers. 

‘It’s competitive’: Essential advice for how to find a job in Zurich

But how important is speaking German – or indeed any Swiss language – when working in Zurich? 

Can you get by in Zurich without speaking German? 

The greater Zurich metropolitan area includes an estimated 1.6 million people, making it one of the largest German-speaking cities in the world. 

However, with half of population of the city’s urban area foreign, Zurich has an International feel. 

Indeed, it is not unusual to be asked to order in English at bars, cafes and restaurants in central areas of the city, due to the influx of foreign workers in the hospitality industry. 

Given the prevalence of English and English-speaking workers in the city, it is certainly possible to get by if you only speak English in Zurich. 

In addition to ordering in English, officials such as police officers and administrative staff at the town hall will also speak English or at least be able to direct you to someone who does. 

The same goes for private entities such as insurance companies, as well as utility companies for gas and electricity. 

Many official communications such as those from the cantonal government are also made in English. 

Can you work in Zurich without speaking German? 

Of course, the main element here is what industry you work in. English teachers will find it easier to get by in Zurich without German than emergency room nurses. 

Nikolaus Schönecker, Senior Team Lead at Hays in Zurich specialises in filling permanent roles in the IT sector. 

“The amount of roles not requiring German or Swiss German is increasing, since many companies are realising this is the only way to challenge the shortage of experts,” he says. Nevertheless, having even rudimentary language skills can set you apart from other foreign candidates.

Working remotely from Switzerland: What are the rules for foreigners?

“Show your willingness to learn German. If you aim to be able to follow business meetings in German at a B1 level and reply in English, the barriers will be lower.” 

Stephan Surber, Senior Partner at Page Executive Switzerland, advises job-hunters to connect with the local expat community as well as country-related networking organisations such as the Chambers of Commerce. 

Most of these groups including AmCham, Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Swedish-Swiss Chamber of Commerce also publish a list of its members online, which may be a good guide to finding international firms based in Zurich. 

He also suggests jobseekers to target expert networks such as the CFA or ACCA community for financial analysts and accountants. 

EXPLAINED: Which Swiss cantons have a minimum wage?

There are many English-language job portals on hand such as jobsinzurich.com, LinkedIn and The Local’s own search engine. But experts we spoke to said that recruitment agencies or headhunters could prove useful in finding hidden opportunities that are not yet on the market.

They can also provide feedback on interviews and ask their clients questions that a direct candidate would not usually get to ask. 

And if you eventually find yourself across an interviewer, aim to be modest and genuine. “Although self-confidence can surely help in most jobs, most Swiss people dislike bragging and overstating,” reminds Schönecker. “So try to show your best side in a realistic way.” 

What do the Local’s readers say? 

In January, 2022, The Local asked its readers about finding work in Zurich – with the importance of English a major factor. 

Generally speaking, the reader responses reflect those of the experts – that speaking German can be crucial at times, but is not necessary. 

Two thirds (66.67%) of the 30 respondents told us it was “very important” to speak German/Swiss German to find a job in Zurich. 

Just under a third said it was “beneficial but not necessary” while one respondent said it was “unimportant”. 

Have you found work in Zurich without speaking German? Or have you not? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

How do I find an English-speaking job in Switzerland? 

Other than contacting companies and organisations directly, you can go through a recruitment agencies such as Adecco or Manpower. If they find you a job you will not have to pay anything; the employer will be charged for their services.

There are other resources as well where you can do your own search.

First and foremost is The Local’s own search engine where industries are listed by categories.

Other resources include Jobs.ch and Glassdoor.

A more in-depth summary of how to find English-speaking work in Switzerland is available here. 

READ MORE: How to find English language jobs in Switzerland

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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Can a Swiss employer give preference to a candidate of one nationality over another?

While hiring job applicants based on their nationality may seem discriminatory, the fact is that in certain situations this practice is totally legal in Switzerland.

Published: 12 May 2023 16:57 CEST
Can a Swiss employer give preference to a candidate of one nationality over another?

First things first: Swiss legislation prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on ethnic origin, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation.
In fact, an employer can’t even ask questions related to these areas.

So how is it possible that companies can choose to hire one foreign worker and reject another, based solely on what passports they hold?

And why isn’t this considered ‘discrimination’?

Strict criteria

Employers in Switzerland must comply with government rules, and specifically with the ‘hiring hierarchy’ that applies to the labour market.

This ‘pecking order’, as it were, gives employment priority for any job vacancy to Swiss citizens. If none can be found, then companies can hire workers from the European Union or EFTA state.

In case employees who are qualified for a given job are not available from among the EU / EFTA pool, then (and only then) companies can look for candidates from farther afield —  that is, from third nations.

This is, however, a much more difficult process because non-Europeans are subject to a quota system and more restrictive conditions.

READ ALSO: Switzerland’s planned work quotas for third-country nationals

So when applications from candidates in, say, India or Brasil, are turned down on the basis of their nationality, this rejection can’t be taken as an act of discrimination or racism, but rather as compliance with official rules.

From the purely practical point of view, it is also much easier for an employer to recruit from the EU / EFTA, as these workers have an almost unlimited access to Switzerland’s labour market; the only reason a company would not hire them would be if a Swiss candidate could fill a vacant position.

This means that if a Swiss citizen is hired instead of a foreigner, the latter can’t really claim he or she was discriminated.

The way the government looks at this is that foreign workers — regardless of their nationality — are here to fill the gaps in the labour market, and not to take the jobs away from the Swiss.

There are, however, regulations within those laws.

Let’s say two equally qualified candidates present themselves for a job: one is from Germany and the other from France.

In this case the employer must choose the applicant who is better suited for the position, based on criteria such as education and professional experience.

If the employer selects a candidate based on their nationality — for instance, he likes Germans more than the French (or vice versa) — that could be construed as a discriminatory act.

In the event no Swiss or EU / EFTA candidate could be found and the company is ready to hire non-Europeans, the same rule applies: selection must be based on ability and credentials, and not on nationality.

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