Tag Archives: Society

The number of new foreign workers moving to Switzerland on long-term contracts increased by a quarter last year compared to 2021, according to official statistics. In 2022, 166,919 foreign workers immigrated to Switzerland, comprising 76,286 people (+15%) for temporary work and 90,633 workers (+26%) on longer contracts. + Switzerland’s allure for wealthy foreigners The increase in longer-term stays was driven by job vacancies mainly in the industrial, construction...

The rate of unemployment in Switzerland fell to 2.2% last year, the lowest rate in 20 years, according to official statistics. At the same time, trade unions complained that wages were too low for many workers and demanded more pay. On Monday, the State Secretariat for Economic affairs (Seco) said the jobless rate fell from 3% in 2021 to 2.2% last year. This corresponds to 99,577 people registered as out of work on average each month. The number of jobless...

Parliament wants to deal a fairer set of cards to Swiss pensioners. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally Pensions in Switzerland should in future be topped up to fully account for the rising cost of consumer goods, parliament has agreed. Parliament on Monday voted to modify the way payment adjustments are calculated from 2023. Currently, top ups take both inflation and rising wages into account. From the start of next year at the latest, payments should focus purely on...

Despite worries about personal data online, the majority see new technologies in general as an opportunity, particularly in education and the development of smart cities. (© Keystone / Ennio Leanza) A survey on digitalisation released this week shows people’s greatest concern revolves around the fate of their personal data, though just as many believe new technologies hold great promise, especially in the areas of medicine, education and smart cities. Nearly...

In this staged photo, a debt adviser speaks to a client (Keystone) Net expenditure on social assistance in Switzerland increased by 1.3% in 2018 compared with the previous year. The government, cantons and municipalities paid out a total of CHF8.4 billion ($8.6 billion). Each recipient of social assistanceexternal link received an average of CHF10,379, the Federal Statistical Office said in a statement on Tuesday. This is an increase of 2.4% on 2017. Expenditure per...

Poverty may not always be visible, but it affects some 100,000 children in Switzerland. (Keystone) Although Switzerland is rich, poverty within the country continues to rise, says a report released on Tuesday. Poverty affected 675,000 people including 100,000 children in 2017, a 10% increase on the previous year, according to the reportexternal link (in French) by the non-governmental organisation Caritasexternal link. In 2014, poverty affected 6.7% of the population...

The high cost of living, especially accommodation, was a deterrent but not enough to cost Switzerland the top spot. (Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi) For the sixth consecutive year, Switzerland clinched the top spot in the annual global ranking of the Lausanne-based IMD business school. The 2019 editionexternal link of the IMD World Talent Ranking ranked Switzerland highly in the three areas assessed. It came first in appeal, second in investment and development...

The world’s billionaires had a tough time of it last year. The world lost 57 billionaires last year as economic woes and the unexpected strengthening of the US dollar wiped $388 billion (CHF386 billion) from their combined wealth. Switzerland had three fewer billionaires; the 33 who remain saw their bank accounts shrink by $16 billion. The latest edition of the Billionaires Reportexternal link from Swiss wealth manager UBS and consultants PwC made for grim reading...

Women in Switzerland earn about a fifth less than men, according to the Federal Equality Office. Large companies in Switzerland will have to analyse wages of men and women starting in 2020 and make the audited results available to staff in 2021. The Federal Council agreed on Wednesday that the equal pay revision to the Gender Equality Act, passed by parliament in December 2018, will come into force on July 1, 2020. Companies will have one year to publish a gender pay...

Satisfied men at work The vast majority of Swiss people enjoy going to work. In a survey by consultants EY, 87% said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job. Although the figure has barely changed since last year, differences between sectors persist. In the construction industry and in mechanical and systems engineering, for example, satisfaction has increased significantly. In the banking and insurance sectors, on the other hand, it has declined,...