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Swiss unemployment stable in fourth quarter, 2010 outlook brighter

More people working in Swiss healthcare

Neuchatel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Lake Geneva region showed the strongest growth in employment in the fourth quarter of 2009, up 1.1 percent. Zurich was the only other area to show growth, 0,9 percent. Overall, Swiss unemployment remained stable, with a slight slip of 0.3 percent compared to the same period in 2008.

Fourth quarter figures for Swiss unemployment published Thursday morning 25 February show with significant differences between industry, where the number of jobless continues to rise, and the services sector, where the jobless rate is falling. The outlook for 2010 appears to be brighter, according to Federal Statistical Office forecasts, with an increase in the number of jobs available. For the first time in five quarters, industry looks set to increase the number of jobs open, after seasonal worker adjustments to the figures.

The number of people actively working rose by 0.3 percent in 2009, thanks to women, whose presence in the workforce increased by 0.8 percent, while the number of men working fell by 0.1 percent.

The number of jobs fell in 2009, however, overall by 0.3 percent, with 2.5 percent fewer jobs in industry while services added 0.8 percent more jobs.

Number of foreign workers on the increase

The fourth quarter of 2009 saw an increase in the number of foreign workers, while the Swiss working population remained stable. The overall 1.4 percent increase in employed foreign workers hides a marked difference between foreigners with short-term work permits, down 11 percent, and those with residence permits, up 6.3 percent and frontaliers (who live across the Swiss border), up 1.1 percent.

Healthcare fastest growing sector

The strongest growth in employment in Q4 2009 came in the healthcare sector, up 3.1 percent, followed by education, up 2.4 percent.