Employment Level in Switzerland

Swiss Federal Statistical Office · Quarterly · Importance

5,698.1 (Q2-26) ABS · thousands · Quarterly · CSV

Period	thousands
Apr 2026	5,698.1
Jan 2026	5,649.9

Period	%
Jan 2026	0.1%
Oct 2025	0.5%
Jul 2025	0.5%
Apr 2025	0.4%
Jan 2025	-0.2%
Oct 2024	0.3%
Jul 2024	0.8%
Apr 2024	0.9%
Jan 2024	-0.2%
Oct 2023	0.4%
Jul 2023	0.6%
Apr 2023	0.7%
Jan 2023	-0.1%
Oct 2022	0.6%
Jul 2022	0.9%
Apr 2022	0.9%
Jan 2022	-0.1%
Oct 2021	0.6%
Jul 2021	1.3%
Apr 2021	0.9%
Jan 2021	-0.6%
Oct 2020	0.2%
Jul 2020	1.0%
Apr 2020	-0.6%
Jan 2020	-0.6%
Oct 2019	-0.1%
Jul 2019	0.7%
Apr 2019	0.9%
Jan 2019	0.1%
Oct 2018	0.1%
Jul 2018	0.5%
Apr 2018	0.7%
Jan 2018	0.0%
Oct 2017	0.3%
Jul 2017	0.9%
Apr 2017	0.7%
Jan 2017	-0.7%
Oct 2016	0.2%
Jul 2016	0.5%
Apr 2016	0.7%
Jan 2016	-0.6%
Oct 2015	-0.1%
Jul 2015	0.7%
Apr 2015	0.9%
Jan 2015	-0.3%
Oct 2014	-0.3%
Jul 2014	0.9%
Apr 2014	0.6%
Jan 2014	-0.1%
Oct 2013	-0.5%
Jul 2013	0.9%
Apr 2013	0.8%
Jan 2013	-0.1%
Oct 2012	-0.4%
Jul 2012	1.3%
Apr 2012	1.1%
Jan 2012	0.3%
Oct 2011	-0.4%
Jul 2011	0.8%
Apr 2011	1.1%

Period	%
Apr 2026	2.002%
Jan 2026	1.504%
Oct 2025	1.192%
Jul 2025	1.046%
Apr 2025	1.344%
Jan 2025	1.86%
Oct 2024	1.839%
Jul 2024	1.893%
Apr 2024	1.677%
Jan 2024	1.543%
Oct 2023	1.649%
Jul 2023	1.825%
Apr 2023	2.118%
Jan 2023	2.26%
Oct 2022	2.325%
Jul 2022	2.333%
Apr 2022	2.745%
Jan 2022	2.8%
Oct 2021	2.272%
Jul 2021	1.872%
Apr 2021	1.528%
Jan 2021	0.018%
Oct 2020	-0.052%
Jul 2020	-0.301%
Apr 2020	-0.612%
Jan 2020	0.855%
Oct 2019	1.614%
Jul 2019	1.762%
Apr 2019	1.642%
Jan 2019	1.397%
Oct 2018	1.316%
Jul 2018	1.514%
Apr 2018	1.889%
Jan 2018	1.915%
Oct 2017	1.208%
Jul 2017	1.106%
Apr 2017	0.727%
Jan 2017	0.754%
Oct 2016	0.84%
Jul 2016	0.568%
Apr 2016	0.772%
Jan 2016	1.002%
Oct 2015	1.262%
Jul 2015	1.062%
Apr 2015	1.181%
Jan 2015	0.798%
Oct 2014	1.012%
Jul 2014	0.777%
Apr 2014	0.774%
Jan 2014	0.982%
Oct 2013	1.036%
Jul 2013	1.171%
Apr 2013	1.639%
Jan 2013	1.964%
Oct 2012	2.281%
Jul 2012	2.256%
Apr 2012	1.729%
Jan 2012	1.761%
Oct 2011	0.967%
Jul 2011	1.165%

About this indicator

Source

Federal Statistical Office (FSO) - Job Statistics (BESTA)

Frequency

Quarterly

Release

About seven weeks after the quarter closes (Beschaftigungsbarometer, 06:30 UTC).

What it is

The employment level (Beschäftigungsstatistik, BESTA) measures the total number of jobs in Switzerland's secondary and tertiary sectors through a survey of firms. It is published by the Federal Statistical Office (BFS) and is akin to the 'nonfarm payrolls' concept used elsewhere.

How it's calculated

The BFS surveys a large sample of firms each quarter (tens of thousands of establishments) and publishes the total number of jobs, full and part time, by economic division, region and sex, with quarterly and year-on-year changes. It differs from the SAKE, which counts employed persons via a household survey.

Market implications

A rise in the employment level signals a strong labour market and firm demand; a fall foreshadows economic weakening. It is a watched indicator for the Swiss franc (CHF) and for Swiss National Bank (SNB) decisions given its link to the cycle.

Limitations

It counts jobs, not people (someone with two part-time jobs is counted twice); it is released later than SECO's monthly registered unemployment and its figures are subject to revision.