The picture is idyllic: Switzerland reports an average unemployment rate of 2.6% for the past year, its lowest level in ten years. Yet, comparing these figures with other official statistics is enough to reveal that they do not align with the reality of the world of work. “They provide a more realistic estimate of unemployment,” emphasizes the chief economist of the Swiss Trade Union Federation, who calls for the nature of jobs to be taken into account as well.
The True Face of the Swiss Labor Market Behind Favorable Statistics
Switzerland’s official unemployment rate remains historically low, but additional data from the Federal Statistical Office qualify this favorable picture. The two indicators, Seco and OFS, do not contradict each other but shed light on different realities of the market.
