When the pressure eases: How the Swiss labour market is changing
When the pressure eases: How the Swiss labour market is changing
For a long time, the shortage of skilled workers was considered one of the most pressing problems facing the Swiss economy. But according to the new Skilled Worker Shortage Index by the personnel service provider Adecco and the University of Zurich, a remarkable development is emerging: For the second time in a row, companies are finding suitable personnel more easily. An easing of the situation – but not an all-clear.
Where the shortage subsides
The relaxation is most evident in those occupational fields that are directly influenced by automation and artificial intelligence .
These include:
- Commercial professions
- Computer Science
- Police investigation professions
In some of these areas, the situation is already reversed: the number of job seekers exceeds the number of vacancies. The digital transformation opens up new opportunities – but it also shifts the realities of work.
Healthcare: The center of shortage
Despite the overall more positive trend, the healthcare sector remains the epicentre of the shortage of skilled workers.
The following are particularly affected:
- Qualified nurses
- Physiotherapists
Construction, electrical engineering and the mechanical engineering industry also continue to struggle with bottlenecks. Foremen, construction foremen and electricians are among the most difficult roles to fill.
Top-4 occupational groups with greatest shortage (2025)
- Specialists in the healthcare sector
- Construction managers, foremen and production managers
- Engineering specialists
- Electricians and electronics technicians
A market in the shadow of world politics
The reasons for the relaxation do not lie in a sudden abundance of experts – but in the economic slowdown.
The tariff conflict between the USA and Switzerland, geopolitical uncertainties and falling export figures are slowing down the economy. Fewer orders mean less demand for skilled workers.
Administrative and digital occupational fields react particularly sensitively. Global trends and automation intervene more quickly here – with noticeable consequences for the labor market.
Regional differences
The easing is not smooth across the country:
- Zurich and northwestern Switzerland show the strongest relative relief – but the shortage there remains high.
- Central Switzerland: slight improvement, but still tense.
- Ticino and French-speaking Switzerland: lower shortage of skilled workers overall.
- Eastern Switzerland: still severely affected, hardly any relief visible.
The map of scarcity is shifting – but it remains characterized by clear regional contrasts.
Between new beginnings and uncertainty
The Swiss labour market is in a transitional phase. The easing of tensions may temporarily alleviate the pressure – but it arises from a phase of economic uncertainty. At the same time, technological developments are accelerating the transformation of entire job profiles.
For Switzerland, this means:
The shortage of skilled workers has not been defeated. It is only changing its form.