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Swiss jobless rate stays unchanged in September

The unemployment rate in Switzerland remained at three percent in September, unchanged from the previous month and from the same period a year earlier, according to government figures issued on Wednesday.

Published: 8 October 2014 10:05 CEST

Swiss jobless rate stays unchanged in September

Photo: Canton of Geneva/File

A total of 129,965 people were registered at regional job centres last month, an increase of 1,531, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said in its latest monthly report.

The number of job seekers at the end of September increased 1.8 percent to 183,113 from the end of August.

The unemployment rate for foreigners rose to 5.5 percent from 5.4 percent a month earlier, while the rate for Swiss citizens remained unchanged at 2.2 percent.

The canton of Geneva registered the highest rate (5.5 percent, up from 5.4 percent), while the canton of Obwalden had the lowest (0.8 percent, down from 0.9 percent), the report said.

In the canton of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest job market, the jobless rate increased to 3.2 percent from 3.1 percent.

For the complete report (in French, German and Italian) click here.

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Which countries does Switzerland have working holiday visa agreements with?

Over the past few decades, countries around the globe have rolled out ‘working holiday visa’ agreements.

These visa schemes, largely targeted at young people, allow people to work and live in a particular country, usually for a set period of time and pursuant to certain conditions.

In recent years, Switzerland has expanded its own form of a ‘working holiday visa’, although there are some important differences to be aware of.

Unlike some of the better known schemes like those in place in Australia, applicants are discouraged from moving around and are generally required to stay with the one employer for the duration.

The goal of the visa scheme is to allow applicants to “expand their occupational and linguistic skills in Switzerland”.

The visa scheme runs for 18 months and cannot be extended.

Which countries does Switzerland have working holiday visa agreements with?

The agreements are made between countries, meaning your fate will depend on whether your government has at some point struck a deal with Switzerland.

EXPLAINED: What’s the difference between permanent residence and Swiss citizenship?

If you are from the European Union or an EFTA country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), then you will be able to live and work in Switzerland as is – and will not need to go through this process.

If you come from outside the EU, you will only be able to apply for this visa if you are a citizen of the following countries:

Australia, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United States.

What does ‘reciprocal’ mean in this context?

Where these agreements have been struck, they have entitled citizens of both countries to certain rights and permissions in the other country.

However, while these arrangements might be reciprocal, they are not identical.

For instance, while citizens of Australia can enter Switzerland and work, the rules for Swiss citizens in Australia are significantly different.

Therefore, if considering each program, be sure to study all of the relevant details as these will change from country to country and from agreement to agreement.

More information is available at the following link.

EXPLAINED: How to get a working holiday visa in Switzerland

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