In Switzerland, many companies are understaffed and unable to fill certain positions, across almost all sectors. At a press event in Bern on Monday, the Swiss corporate lobby group economiesuisse and its partners warned about the consequences of the worsening skills shortages.
Demographic trends are the main concern among business circles, says economiesuisse. In the coming years, the retirement of so-called “baby boomers” – people born between 1946-1964 – will not be offset by younger workers, economiesuisse President Christoph Mäder told reporters.
The lobby group estimates a shortfall of 431,000 people on the Swiss labour market between now and 2040, the equivalent of 8% of the working population.
This represents a challenge not only for businesses, but also for the financing of Swiss pensions, Mäder said.
The free movement of persons model has “proved its worth” and should be maintained, say economiesuisse, the Swiss Employers’ Association and the Swiss Textiles association. But the organisations believe that immigration alone will not fill the growing gap in the labour market.
They propose efforts to increase Swiss productivity, which would in turn lead to higher wages. Switzerland must also invest more in research and innovation and regulate less, they argue.
More
Why Switzerland needs workers from abroad
Switzerland is an attractive place to work and the country needs specialists. But work permits can be hard to come by.
The economy also needs to make better use of people currently living in Switzerland. And efforts must be made to improve the family-work balance, and create further incentives to keep older workers in the labour market for longer, say business groups.
They also urge the federal government, cantons and state-run industries to curb recent strong employment growth in the numbers of civil servants and government officials, which they say is taking valuable skills away from private industry.
More
Debate
Hosted by:
Samuel Jaberg
How should we tackle the shortage of skilled workers in Switzerland?
Are you also affected in your company or your field of work? Tell us about your experiences!
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Over a quarter of Swiss Catholics consider leaving the church
This content was published on
In Switzerland 27% of Catholics have thought about leaving the church, according to a survey by the Sotomo research centre.
This content was published on
Following the Credit Suisse debacle, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) is adapting its organisation.
This content was published on
The Swiss Armed Forces are training their fighter jets in Bern to fly from a civilian base. The exercise at Bern Airport will last until Wednesday.
Plans materialise for new particle accelerator in Geneva
This content was published on
Preparations for a huge new particle accelerator in Geneva have reached a milestone. After several years of work, a feasibility study for the project has now been finalised.
This content was published on
The value of frozen Russian assets in Switzerland currently stands at CHF7.4 billion ($8.4 billion), the Swiss government announced on Tuesday.
This content was published on
The number of business start-ups in Switzerland accelerated in the first three months of the year, with entrepreneurs being particularly dynamic in Central Switzerland, Basel and Geneva.
Most Swiss authorities want to ban Nazi symbols in public
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss political parties, cantons and associations want to ban the use and distribution of Nazi symbols in public.
Could international graduates solve worker shortages in Switzerland?
This content was published on
Very few students from third countries stay on to work in Switzerland after their studies. Parliament wants this to change.
Employers’ group proposes measures to counter labour shortage
This content was published on
The Swiss Employers’ Association wants to lenghten working hours and introduce incentives to entice people into the labour market
This content was published on
With over 100,000 jobs listed as vacant in the first quarter of 2022, staff shortages are reaching record levels in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.