Unemployment continues downward trend

The number of people without work in Switzerland continued to fall in October, although jobs were shed in certain sectors of the economy, including information technology and the tourism industry.

The latest breakdown of unemployment figures, released on Monday by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, shows healthy job growth across many sectors of the economy.

The biggest drop in unemployment was recorded in education and research and development, where 147 jobs were created in October. That represents a decline of 7.4 per cent in those particular areas.

The public services also took on more workers, employing 83 people (a drop of 2.2 per cent), while trade and commerce took on 106 (a fall of 1.1 per cent).

The largest rise in unemployment was recorded in the hotel and catering industry, where the number of jobless jumped by 1,200 or 15.7 per cent.

Analysts blamed the increase on the change of season, as well as the recent floods in the cantons of Ticino and Valais.

IT consulting saw 120 jobs go in October and agriculture lost 69 positions.

Women remain more likely than men to be unemployed, as do foreign workers rather than Swiss.

The number of long-term jobless continues to fall.

swissinfo with agencies