Jobless rate at two-year high
The number of people unemployed in Switzerland has risen to the highest level in two years.
Figures from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) on Monday showed that the number of registered unemployed in January increased to 93,714 or 2.6 per cent. In December, the rate was 2.4 per cent.
The increase was in line with most analysts’ expectations as the economic slowdown continues to bite. Unions have warned that it is only a matter of time before the jobless figures break through the psychologically important barrier of 100,000.
The number of job vacancies remained stagnant in January at 9,531.
Seco said it expected an average unemployment figure of around 80,000 for the year as a whole as the economy picked up. The average last year was 67,000.
Canton Geneva has the highest jobless rate at 5.1 per cent followed by canton Ticino at 4 per cent. The largest increase in January was in canton Jura, where unemployment grew 0.6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.
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