Slight increase in employment in 1st quarter 2026
Neuchâtel, 28.05.2026 — In the 1st quarter 2026, total employment (excluding agriculture) in Switzerland rose by 0.5% compared with the same quarter of the previous year (seasonally adjusted, +0.4% over previous quarter). Enterprises reported 5.0% more job vacancies than a year earlier. Difficulties recruiting skilled workers have eased compared with the previous quarter and the employment outlook is positive. These are some of the latest findings from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Enterprises in Switzerland reported 5.537 million jobs in the 1st quarter 2026. This was an increase of 26 100 jobs (+0.5%) year on year. Women made up 46.8% of the workforce. At the end of the 1st quarter 2026, 2.301 million jobs were part-time (women accounted for 69.3% of these jobs). In full-time equivalents, the total volume of employment was 4.323 million jobs (women accounted for 40.8%). This was 13 900 full-time equivalents more than the previous year (+0.3%).
Secondary sector employment (industry and construction) rose in the 1st quarter 2026 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, by 1100 jobs (+0.1%) to 1.129 million jobs. The tertiary sector (services) had 25 000 (+0.6%) more jobs in the same period, with a total volume of 4.409 million jobs.
Upward short-term trend
Compared with the previous quarter, seasonally-adjusted employee numbers in enterprises grew by 20 700 jobs (+0.4%) in the 1st quarter 2026. In the same quarter, there was an upward trend in the secondary sector, with 1000 additional jobs (+0.1%), while the tertiary sector saw an increase of 20 000 jobs (+0.5%).
Number of vacancies increased
Enterprises reported a total of 98 200 vacancies in the 1st quarter 2026. Year on year, this was an increase of 4700 jobs (+5.0%). Both the secondary (+6.8%) and tertiary sectors (+4.5%) had more vacancies. Vacancies represented 1.7% of all jobs, 1.9% of secondary sector jobs and 1.7% of tertiary sector jobs.
Fewer difficulties in finding skilled workers
Weighted by the number of employees, 34.3% of enterprises reported difficulties in recruiting skilled workers in the 1st quarter 2026. This is a decrease of 2 percentage points compared with the previous quarter. The situation has eased somewhat in both the secondary and tertiary sectors (–0.5 and –2.4 percentage points respectively).
Optimistic employment outlook
The share of enterprises announcing an increase in the number of jobs in the short-term was 11.0% in the 1st quarter 2026 (10.1% in the previous quarter) and those planning to reduce their workforce represented 4.8% (5.2% in the previous quarter). The employment outlook indicator has risen compared with the previous quarter (1.03; +0.8%).
This press release and further information on the topic can be found on the FSO website.