The number of people in Switzerland who are out of work increased for the second year in a row. This contrasts with the situation in the European Union, where unemployment rates have remained stable. What are the reasons behind this? Switzerland is often portrayed as an island of full employment in the heart of Europe. While the unemployment rate is still comparatively lower than in most neighbouring countries, the gap is no longer as great as it used to be. Between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) rose from 4.7% to 5.1% (+0.4 percentage points) in Switzerland. The increase was slightly less pronounced in Germany (+0.3), France (+0.3) and Austria (+0.2). In Italy, unemployment remained constant at 5.6%. The average for the 27 EU member states has also stayed stable (at 5.7%). “Switzerland is highly dependent on its exports, so the global economic situation can have a greater ...
