JOBS AND VACANCIES IN SWITZERLAND

The situation in Switzerland today

Switzerland is rightfully considered one of the richest and most stable countries in the world. Despite the fact that the economic growth rate here is only 1% per year, which is significantly lower than, for example, in India (10%) or Vietnam (8%), this does not affect the level of GDP in any way. According to this indicator (more than $80,000 per resident), Switzerland ranks 2nd in the world, second only to Luxembourg. Considering that the country's population is 8.4 million people, this is a very high level of development.

Are there jobs in Switzerland for Russians? Judging by the frequency of vacancies appearing on various sites, it is quite possible to choose a suitable employment option. True, it’s difficult to count on getting a job in your specialty. The Swiss, as a rule, need unskilled personnel for physical labor or help with housework.

How to get hooked in Switzerland?

It is worth mentioning that we are not talking about students here, but about adults, often with families, who, thanks to their efforts, decided to go to the country of the Alpine mountains and change their lives for the better. When they receive money, they either save it or send it to their family, while they simply mercilessly save on themselves.

Don't be afraid of hard work at the beginning of your career!
Then men usually find the best options for themselves, since they already know the language better, make the necessary connections and navigate the traditional way of society, and women usually marry a Swiss man and after a few years receive citizenship. The process of obtaining a residence permit, work permit, and finding a decent employment option is very difficult, but at the same time you receive a decent salary and, undoubtedly, a better future for your children.

How to get a job in 2021

Ways to find a job for official employment of a foreign citizen in Switzerland:

1. A person can independently find a job via the Internet. Currently, there are both Swiss and Russian sites that daily update announcements about the required labor force in the country. The advantages of this method are that it is free, there are always fresh vacancies, a large selection of companies and work specialties. Disadvantages - the search may take a long time, it is possible to get scammed by scammers.
2. Swiss recruitment agencies offer to find a foreign citizen a job in the country for a fee. However, not many agencies agree to cooperate with foreigners who are not members of the European Union. The largest agencies that willingly cooperate with Russians are Adecco and Monpower. The advantages of this method of job search are fast, assistance in paperwork, no deception. The disadvantages include the large monetary costs of paying for the company’s services.
3. If a person wants to get a job in a certain company, then it is best to monitor its official website and follow the news and vacancy section. Once a full-time position becomes available, you can contact the HR department directly, and also send your resume in the required language to the organization’s email. The advantages of this method include direct contact with the employer, assistance in finding a job and preparing all the necessary documents. Disadvantages: vacancies may not be updated for a long time, your letter may simply go unnoticed.

Famous job search sites

The most popular online resources where recruitment advertisements for Swiss companies are posted are:

• jobwinner.ch
• jobup.ch
• jobs.ch
• jobscout24.ch
• topjobs.ch
• deutsch.monster.ch
• alpha.ch
• jobsinnetwork.com
• myscience.ch

You can also find vacancies in Switzerland on Russian and Ukrainian job search sites. They are not posted too often, but if you regularly look through the relevant sections, you can probably pick up something.

Through agencies

Insufficient knowledge of German or English complicates direct communication between a potential employee and an employer. In this situation, it makes sense to seek help from one of the employment agencies. The only disadvantage of this method is that the services of intermediaries are always paid. The cost of employment can start from 100 euros and end at 25% of the first salary.

How to find a job in Switzerland. Search for a vacancy.

As already mentioned, working in Switzerland for Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians is, first of all, a search for a suitable vacancy. Success depends largely on patience and the use of a variety of sources of information. Let's look at the most effective options for finding a job on the Swiss labor market.

Popular job search sites in Switzerland

jobscout24.ch

jobwinner.ch

jobup.ch

jobssuchmaschine.ch

Specialized Resources

Work in selected cities - Geneva, Zurich.

IT sector - darwinrecruitment.com, technojobs.co.uk.

Managers and financiers - robertwalters.ch, alpha.ch.

Alternatively, you can use the services of international recruitment agencies. True, not all of them work with foreigners outside the EU. The most popular are Adecco and Manpower. A complete list of Swiss recruiting organizations can be found on the VZAVG website.

Another fairly effective way to find a job in Switzerland is to look at job advertisements in local newspapers and periodicals. See the entire list of Swiss newspapers here, but here are links to the most popular:

24 Heures

Le Temps (Geneva)

Tages Anzeiger (Zurich)

In the modern world, and Switzerland is no exception, the search for vacancies using social networks, primarily professional ones – LinkedIn, is gaining momentum.

Finally, you can visit Switzerland on a tourist visa and attend various job fairs. This will not only provide an overall picture of the Swiss labor market, but will also help you acquire professional contacts, and perhaps even get a job in Switzerland.

If you have a specific Swiss company in mind, you can try to offer your services directly. Use this site to find the company you need.

And the last thing that needs to be paid special attention to is the preparation of a resume and cover letter adapted to the Swiss employer, as well as preparation for the interview. A lot of useful information on these points can be found on the above resources.

Popular professions

If you are interested in working in Switzerland for girls, then they can easily find a job looking after children. The advantage of this profession is that the nanny is provided not only with a decent salary (1500-1800 euros), but also with free accommodation and food. If a girl or woman has no problems with the German language, she can try to find a job as a saleswoman. Also, in this country, unskilled workers are always needed: for packing goods in a warehouse, cleaning premises, tending the garden, etc.

In-demand professions in Switzerland are often related to the tourism sector. If the applicant speaks fluent English, he can count on working as an instructor, animator, or employee of a ski resort.

Seasonal work in Switzerland

The most popular and fastest option to find a job is to become an agricultural worker. This type of work is always seasonal and depends on the chosen specialization of the Swiss agricultural sector. Such work usually falls during the summer months, where foreigners can work up to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Since agricultural workers and service sector specialists are unskilled personnel, there are no special requirements for them, but knowledge of English at an average level of communication is required. Most often, Ukrainians and Russians are engaged in processing and harvesting agricultural crops.

Seasonal work is the lowest paid, with average monthly earnings ranging from 2 to 4 thousand dollars per month.

But seasonal work in Switzerland also includes employment in the service sector - restaurant and hotel business. In the country, you can work seasonally in such professions as waiter, salesperson, maid, cleaner and assistant tour guide accompanying tourists. The season for such work falls in the summer months, when Switzerland experiences the main influx of tourists.

In winter, ski resorts open and for 3-4 months you can actually work in the service sector. The salary level of workers is 2-5 thousand dollars.

Working as a driver in Switzerland

Taxi workers can receive up to 4 thousand dollars a month with official employment and a standardized work schedule, no more than 40 hours a week. According to the law, all officially employed citizens in any profession, including drivers, must be granted a two-week vacation twice a year.

They are subject to the same requirements, including:

• mandatory EU citizenship and work permit;
• a valid foreign license of category B and driving experience of at least 5 years; for drivers of buses and heavy vehicles, a license of category C, D or E is also required.

In addition to taxi drivers, drivers of city buses and other route vehicles transporting the population, as well as private family drivers, are accepted for work in Switzerland.

Working as a doctor and nurse

Work as a doctor and medical personnel is considered the most in demand in Switzerland; it can only be obtained by foreign citizens with high qualifications, as well as confirmed education and work experience. Among doctors, specialties such as surgeons, pharmacists and specialized medical workers are in great demand.

You can obtain the right to practice medicine to work as a doctor or even a pharmacist only upon arrival in the state itself. To do this, you will need to collect a number of documents confirming your qualifications and submit them for a special permit - this could be a license or a patent. A hospital doctor must have a valid license with a specified period to carry out medical activities within Switzerland.

Working as a teacher and nanny in Switzerland

Primary school teachers in Switzerland can earn from 7 to 8 thousand dollars per month, while high school and university teachers receive up to $13,000. There is a catastrophic shortage of teachers in Swiss schools, and of nannies in kindergartens and additional education centers. In addition, the latter are very willingly hired to work for families, since the work of foreign nannies is paid several times less than what local residents of the state require in this specialty.

Requirements for teachers and nannies in Switzerland:

• mandatory absence of criminal record,
• having a diploma of completed higher or secondary vocational education,
• for teachers, at least 3 years of experience in an educational specialty in their state is important,
• letter of recommendation from a previous employer.

Teachers' work schedule is usually 5 or 6 days a week with a minimum of 36 hours of work. Nannies are most often taken into the family full-time, or with accommodation in a separate room for staff.

Work in construction trades and factories

Builders are in the middle of the ranking in terms of wages in the country, their monthly earnings are 7-9 thousand dollars; at a factory they have the opportunity to earn up to 11 thousand dollars monthly. The working week for construction trades and for workers in the country's factories ranges from 40 to 50 hours. Overtime is not prohibited, but it is paid by the employer with a significant premium - 25 percent of the average daily earnings.

Requirements for candidates who can successfully find employment in construction professions and factories in Switzerland:

• for a civil engineer, a higher education with completed construction education will be required,
• sufficient work experience and portfolio.

Working as a builder in Switzerland has good prospects for good earnings. Since the country is intensively constructing new urban and residential infrastructure facilities.

Working as a driver in Switzerland

Taxi workers can receive up to 4 thousand dollars a month with official employment and a standardized work schedule, no more than 40 hours a week. According to the law, all officially employed citizens in any profession, including drivers, must be granted a two-week vacation twice a year.

In addition to taxi drivers, drivers of city buses and other route vehicles transporting the population, as well as private family drivers, are accepted for work in Switzerland. They are subject to the same requirements, including:

• mandatory EU citizenship and work permit;
• a valid foreign license of category B and driving experience of at least 5 years; for drivers of buses and heavy vehicles, a license of category C, D or E is also required.

Salary per month by profession in 2021

With a standard 8-hour workload, a foreigner can receive about 2,000 euros. However, it is worth noting right away that living expenses in Switzerland are also quite high. For local residents, Saturday car trips to Italy to buy groceries have become quite common.

However, salaries in Switzerland by profession still remain quite high. This can be judged from the data in the following table.

As in many countries, salary depends on length of service, qualifications, geographic location and some other factors.

Minimum

There is no official minimum wage in Switzerland. But when concluding an employment contract, a provision on the lower limit of compensation is indicated.

It ranges from 2200 to 4200 francs per month (2184-4165 US dollars) for unskilled workers and from 2800 to 5300 francs per month for specialists with education and work experience.

When asking what the salary is in Switzerland, it is important to consider that some professions do not require the conclusion of a formal employment contract. For example, when hiring a nanny to look after a child, a woman or girl who comes from the CIS receives money in her hands. Often this amount is much less than the salary of a local resident.

average salary

According to the latest data, the average salary in Switzerland was 85,000 Swiss francs. In terms of monthly payment, this is approximately 7,000 CHF or euros (the exchange rate is approximately the same).

The difference in earnings within one profession can vary greatly. Thus, a high school teacher in Zurich earns on average 8,506 francs per month with a 13-hour weekly workload. At the same time, a teacher in nearby St. Gallen earns CHF 1,250 less for the same amount of work performed.

Taxation system in the country

The Swiss federal tax system is considered one of the most successful in the world, but is generally quite complex. Taxes are levied at three levels - federal, cantonal and municipal. Accordingly, the aggregate rates differ in each region. For foreign workers, taxes are withheld directly from their wages in the same way as Swiss specialists. The employer is responsible for this.

Note : Rates are indicated for one individual, unmarried and without minor children.

At the local level, the amount of tax payments depends on the canton. For example, in Zurich the maximum income tax rate of 13% is provided for an annual income of 254.9 thousand francs.

In Geneva, the highest rate of 19% is set for income over 615 thousand francs per year. Foreign professionals living in Switzerland and receiving an annual salary of more than 120,000 francs (in Geneva 500,000) are required to file a tax return by source of income and indicate assets in all countries of the world.

Social contributions

In addition to contributions to the pension fund (10.5% of nominal salary), the Swiss are also required to pay insurance, which then compensates for sick leave and medical care. Depending on the salary, the amount of social contribution can range from 0.5% to 1.1%.

Work permits in Switzerland for EU/EFTA citizens

L: Short-term work permit ● Typically valid for three to 12 months. The validity period of the permit is tied to the duration of the employment contract.

● EU/EFTA nationals looking for work also receive this permit after staying in the country for three months.

● The permit gives the right to change place of residence (canton) and work.

If you, as an EU/EFTA citizen, plan to work in Switzerland for less than three months, you may not need a permit at all. Under certain conditions, nationals of such countries working in Switzerland and workers of other nationalities posted to Switzerland by companies from EU/EFTA countries for a short period of time can use the online registration procedure.

This only applies to persons working in Switzerland for no more than three months during a calendar year. Registration must be completed before the person begins working for a Swiss employer.

Stages of official employment

Once a suitable vacancy on the labor market has been found and an agreement has been established with the employer, the stage of official employment begins. The receiving party must forward the application regarding the immigrant's employment to the appropriate authority. Usually this is a public employment service operating in a specific canton (administrative-territorial entity).

The visa is issued through the Swiss consulate in the country of which the immigrant is a citizen . The State Migration Service sends information about the work permit to the consulate. Based on this information and documents submitted by the future employee, a work visa is issued.

List of documents

As a rule, to work in Switzerland, a “D” series visa is issued, the validity of which exceeds 3 months. The following package of documents is required for registration:

• a completed application form from the applicant (in one of three languages: French, German, Spanish),
• the applicant's foreign passport,
• copies of important pages of the passport,
• four photos, size 35x45 mm, color on a white background,
• copy of Schengen visa (if available),
• certificate of financial status (or fact of employer sponsorship),
• a police certificate confirming no criminal record or prosecution,
• original employment contract (plus two copies),
• medical insurance policy.

Typically, consideration of the application and issuance of a visa lasts no more than two months. During the registration process, the consulate may request additional documents or information. Having received a visa, you can go to Switzerland, where upon arrival, you must apply for a residence permit (biometric immigrant identification card) within 14 days.

Obtaining a residence permit

It is impossible to obtain a work permit in the country if you do not have a residence permit. Therefore, before this you need to submit documents to receive it.

To obtain the right to reside and a residence permit in Switzerland, you must have an official job offer from an employer.

There are several types of permits in the state:

• Short term. The duration of stay should not exceed one year.
• Annual. Valid for one year.
• Transboundary seasonal. The employment contract must be drawn up for at least a year. The length of stay is similar to the terms in the contract.
• Indefinite. Issued only if you have stayed in the country for more than 10 years. Exceptions include citizens of Canada and the United States. Their minimum period of residence is five years.

Work permit

The execution of this document is the responsibility of the employer. He provides the migration service with justification for the need to hire foreign workers. Usually, for this purpose, information is provided from the local labor exchange about the lack of people willing to find a job for a particular position.

As a rule, the Swiss themselves do not particularly express a desire to work as a packer in a factory or as a gardener. It is for such purposes that foreigners are needed.

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“My documents were completely handled by the bank, as is the case in most large companies. From the experience of my friends, I know that you can get a work permit and, therefore, a residence permit in the following way: you need to graduate from a Swiss state university.

And in this case, the student is given six months to find a job. However, the employer must demonstrate that such an employee will have important influence in the academic environment. By the way, it is easiest for programmers, engineers, biologists and other rather specific professions to find work in Switzerland.”

There is another interesting employment option for foreigners, when the employer hires a lawyer on migration issues at his own expense and takes care of all bureaucratic issues if the applicant can prove that he is an ideal candidate for the position. The selection is carried out in the form of an open competition, and the accepted employee will have to work in the company for at least two years.

Is it difficult to open a business in Switzerland?

Opening your own business in Switzerland in 2021 gives you a better chance of earning money and obtaining citizenship in the country, but this method is much more expensive. To apply for a job at an enterprise, you need to carefully select vacancies that rarely coincide with the applicant’s specialization, and request an invitation from a potential employer.

The Swiss government does not require additional papers from foreign businessmen - they only require proof of absence of problems with the law, a document of higher education, permanent residence in Switzerland and timely payment of taxes. Business requires a residence permit and a business visa, which is issued based on confirmation of company registration.

Work visa to Switzerland

To move to Switzerland for the purpose of employment, a foreign specialist must obtain a Swiss work visa. If we are talking about staying in the country for more than 90 days, a national visa (type D) is issued. To do this, an employment contract must be signed and a work permit in Switzerland must be obtained. After which you can apply for a work visa at the Swiss Consulate in your country.

Documents for a work visa to Switzerland:

1. Visa application form filled out in English or one of the official languages ​​(3 pieces).
2. Civil passport (original and copy).
3. A foreign passport with at least two blank pages.
4. Color photographs (4 pcs. according to ICAO standards).
5. Copies of international passport - 2 pcs. (pages with photo, full name, signature).
6. Copies of the last two Schengen visas (if available).
7. Certificate of no criminal record.
8. Confirmation of having a work permit in Switzerland.
9. Original (plus 2 copies) employment contract.

If necessary, Swiss Consulate staff may require additional information. The average processing time for an application is 6 to 12 weeks. After arriving in Switzerland, a residence permit is issued at the cantonal migration service.

Features of internship in the country

Postgraduate and senior students can apply for an internship in Switzerland. If there is an agreement with a local company or organization, the foreigner will receive not only the prospect of finding a well-paid job, but also a scholarship in the amount of 2000 francs.

The internship period ranges from 3 months to 1.5 years.

Those citizens who speak one of the official languages ​​of Switzerland: German, French or Italian have an advantage.

Search for internships

You can find a suitable option for internship in Switzerland on the following websites:

It is important to remember that excellent students, as well as those who are studying to become specialists with a narrow qualification, have an advantage in obtaining the right to an internship.

Professions in demand in Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the most tranquil, beautiful and where the government is doing everything possible to improve the well-being and general standard of living of local residents. The population of the state in 2021 is about 8.6 million people. At the same time, tens of thousands of labor migrants from neighboring countries, mainly France, Italy and Germany, cross the Swiss border every day, as in Geneva and some other cities. Doing business, engaging in professional activities, studying is the dream of hundreds of thousands of foreigners from all over the world.

However, not everyone succeeds in making their dream come true. In particular, it requires the applicant to fulfill a number of conditions, including regarding experience and level of qualifications. And the specialty should be in great demand in the local labor market. Next, we will find out which professions are in demand in Switzerland in 2021.

CONTENTS The Swiss labor market is one of the most competitive not only in Europe, but also in the world. Local employers are interested in attracting exclusively highly qualified personnel with professions in demand in the country.

By the way, in the first six months of 2021, an increase in vacancies was recorded in almost all sectors of the economy. Unemployment in Switzerland does not exceed 3%, and inflation is practically absent (up to 1%). For legal employment, which means obtaining an employment permit and foreign specialists, including Russians and Ukrainians, are required to first find a vacancy and sign an employment contract with the employer.

This is quite difficult to do, since local residents, as well as EU and EFTA citizens (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) have priority rights to work. Moreover, special quotas are provided for applicants from third countries (9.5 thousand in 2021). As you know, incomes are very high.

There are no minimum indicators at the national level, but some regions set their own rates. Currently the cantons of Jura and Neuchâtel

Tips for migrant workers

Employment in Switzerland is one of the best options for any foreigner. High wages, almost zero inflation, stable economy and political system. There is only one serious obstacle on the way to work in Zurich and Geneva - the presence of quotas for foreign specialists. But if a person sets out to settle in Switzerland, over time he will certainly achieve this.

To get started, you can work on a short-term visa. Two years later, after the next extension of the entry permit, you can apply for a residence permit. True, until this moment it is highly recommended to learn one of the official languages ​​and not have problems with the police.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of Switzerland are obvious; even without having been here, we can say that high salaries are a huge plus. The local nature can be considered a virtue; the local landscapes simply captivate everyone. The residents themselves simply adore their nature, so they traditionally go out of town on Sundays.

There are very few young people everywhere; usually you can meet a group of young people only on weekends. There is also catastrophically little entertainment for young people, big cities are still somehow coping, and small towns like Zug have nothing to offer at all. In addition, many people are hesitant to have a child because there is no provision for parental leave.

Even big cities like Geneva or Bern are sparsely populated. There is not a single million-plus city here, there are no settlements with 500 thousand people. The entire Confederation consists of cantons with a maximum population of 360 thousand inhabitants.

Being born to live in the Confederation is an extremely expensive pleasure, but with high incomes it is not problematic. The authorities have a wary attitude towards foreigners, so it is extremely difficult to obtain a residence permit.