Demand for the likes of doctors, nurses, IT specialists and engineers is outstripping supply in the job market.
The balance between employer and employee has changed dramatically since the end of the pandemic. Companies that pared down hiring in 2020 and 2021, or even trimmed down their workforces, are now urgently seeking new recruits.
As a result, the annual Skills Shortage Index, complied by Adecco and the University of Zurich has reached unprecedented highs.
“Demand for qualified professionals will continue to rise, with the result that rather than companies selecting employees, it will increasingly be the other way around,” said Marcel Keller, head of Adecco Switzerland.
The talent crunch is not spread evenly around the country because different cantons have varying levels of unemployment. The shortage of skilled staff is being felt more acutely in Geneva than Zurich, for example.
Demand also varies for different types of job and is heavily weighted towards scientific and technical personnel. There are fewer vacancies for social workers and journalists, while the supply of marketing and public relations specialists broadly matches demand.
“The higher the qualification required for the job, the higher the demand,” said Keller.
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In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
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As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
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A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
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The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
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Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
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Switzerland could ‘lack 700,000 workers’ in decade’s time
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Swiss Employers’ Association warns country is facing a shortage of 700,000 workers in ten years’ time and that immigration was key to plug the gap.
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The shortage of skilled workers has become even more acute this year. Finding suitable engineers is particularly difficult.
Switzerland simplifies process of employing foreign workers
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Moves to cut red tape for non-EU foreign workers in Switzerland will not necessarily lead to more work visas being issued.
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