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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Which Swiss companies have the biggest gaps between high and low earners?

While Swiss wages are more equitable than those of most other European countries, there is still a significant disparity between the lowest and highest salaries in the country’s big companies, according to a new survey.

Published: 15 August 2022 09:55 CEST
Updated: 4 September 2022 15:36 CEST
Which Swiss companies have the biggest gaps between high and low earners?
Top-level executives earn more than lower-hierarchy employees. Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

Wage inequality can either come about when income is unevenly distributed throughout a population, or, on a smaller scale within a given company.

Although Switzerland generally boasts strong pro-worker labour laws and salaries that are among the highest in the world, new research indicates that wage disparity is alive and well in many large Swiss companies.

The study, carried out by Unia labour union, shows that in 2021, executives of 43 largest Swiss firms earned an average of 141 times more than their lowest-paid employees.

The worst offender in terms of income disparity is Roche, where top executives earn 307 times more than their lowest-paid workers. The pharmaceutical giant is followed by UBS (221), Logitech (204), Nestlé (201), Alcon (197), and Novartis (195).

What is the study authors’ definition of a ‘low’ wage in this context?

In half of the 43 companies surveyed, Unia found that the lowest incomes are less than 50,712 francs per year.

“These salaries are significantly lower than the ‘low salary threshold’, which, for Switzerland, corresponds to 53,320 francs”, the study reads. 

While salaries of the lowest paid employees grew by only 0.5 percent between 2016 and 2020 (the last year for which official data is available), for the higher-ups the increase was 4 percent.

READ MORE: Swiss salaries: How much do people earn in Switzerland?

How does Switzerland compare to other countries in terms of income disparity?

Data published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) indicates that when it comes to salaries, Switzerland matches the EU’s median ratio of 4.9 — which means that the total income of the richest 20 percent of the population is 4.9 times greater than the total income of the poorest 20 percent.

This is the same ratio as in Germany.

By comparison, the ratio in Switzerland’s neighbour, Italy, is much higher — 5.8 percent — France’s is 4.5 percent, and Austria’s 4.1.

Generally speaking, and income inequality notwithstanding, “the standard of living in Switzerland remains one of the highest in Europe”, the FSO said.

This means that after adjustment for differences in price levels between countries, “the Swiss population’s financial situation is more comfortable than that of its neighbouring countries and countries in the European Union”.

This is the case even though the cost of living in Switzerland is higher than in most European countries, according to FSO.
 
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Why Switzerland’s cost of living isn’t as high as you think

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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

How can a foreign teacher find work in a Swiss school or university?

More Swiss cantons are hiring teachers from abroad, but candidates must meet certain criteria.

Published: 7 May 2024 15:05 CEST
How can a foreign teacher find work in a Swiss school or university?

Too few teachers are being trained in Switzerland, which means that by the beginning of the new decade, between 43,000 and 47,000 new professionals would need to be recruited. 

To remedy this situation, various cantons are taking steps, or are planning to do so in the near future, to fill the gap with teachers trained abroad. 

READ ALSO: Swiss cantons move to hire more foreign teachers 

Does this mean that any foreign teacher can easily find work in Switzerland?

Let’s define ‘foreign’ first.

If you are a foreign national who has been entirely trained at one of Swiss Universities of Teacher Education (PH), and receive a corresponding diploma, then you are in the clear, and no further action is needed.

If, however, you studied abroad and obtained a foreign diploma, then you may have to be-retrained in Switzerland, and meet the local hiring criteria.

One thing to remember is that cantons are responsible for their own school system, so requirements (as well as opportunities) may be different from one region to another.

Teachers with foreign teaching diplomas can apply to the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education (EDK) to have their credentials recognised in Switzerland.  

The EDK will decide what (if any) further training or certification you may need in order to work in a school in a given canton.

This is how it works

The EDK will compare your foreign training with the one provided in Swiss universities.

If it is found to be equivalent, you will receive an official certificate of recognition of your diploma in Switzerland, and can then look for a job.

If, however, there are significant differences in the level of education, the EDK will ask for so-called ‘compensatory measures’ — for instance, via a ‘Certificate of Advanced Studies’ (CAS) —  to be carried out in a Swiss PH before your diploma can be recognised.

The exact steps are described here.

Language proficiency

Obviously, if you come from Germany, France, Italy, Austria, or Liechtenstein, and intend to teach in the linguistically-appropriate canton, then this is one hurdle you don’t have to overcome.

For all the others, however, candidates must provide proof of sufficient language skills in one of the main Swiss national languages.

“As proof of such language skills in German, French or Italian, an internationally recognised language diploma at Level C2 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CERF) the is required,” according to the EDK.

For those who only teach a language that is not a Swiss national language (such as English), a B2 CERF level in German, French, or Italian is sufficient.

READ ALSO: How can I have my foreign qualifications recognised in Switzerland? 

What about work permits?

If you come from an EU / EFTA state (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), then you will obtain a permit easily – if you haven’t gotten one yet.

For those from third countries, things are more complicated because you are subject to special quotas and will be admitted only if your presence in Switzerland is considered to be “in the general economic interest.”

This means that you must not only be a highly qualified professional in your field, but also that no Swiss or EU / EFTA national can be found for a given teaching position.

However, if you are a third-country national who already lives in Switzerland with a valid permit, then your candidacy will be considered.

All of the above applies to those looking for a job at primary and secondary schools, but what about universities?

Different procedure

The hiring system at Swiss universities is different.

While foreigners can, of course, apply for a teaching job, most universities recruit professors they need themselves.

Overall, foreigners constitute just over half of teaching staff at Swiss universities.

This is especially the case in the two federal polytechnic institutes — the ETH in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne —  with 70 and 82 percent, respectively — of foreigners among their academic staff.

Typically, these institutions recruit staff from reputable universities abroad to fill specific  teaching positions — for instance in sciences.

These people are hired as visiting professors at the invitation of one of the faculties. Such appointments are made for a minimum of one month and a maximum of one year, though they can be extended.

In such cases, universities will apply for a visa and a work permit for visiting professors from outside the EU / EFTA.

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