Employment in Switzerland: +0.5% year on year, ILO unemployment at 5.6%, says FSO

⏱ 2 min read

Updated on 14 November 2026 : youth unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds reached 12.6% in the third quarter of 2026, or around 76,000 people, its highest level since records began, according to the Tages-Anzeiger as cited by 20 minutes.

Background

Every quarter, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) publishes the Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS). It measures employment and unemployment according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) definition, which allows comparison with European countries.

The key points

According to the FSO, Switzerland had 5.387 million people in employment in the third quarter of 2026, 0.5% more than a year earlier. In full-time equivalents, the increase is limited to 0.1%.

Over the same period, the ILO unemployment rate rose from 5.1% to 5,6 % year on year. Switzerland had 288,000 unemployed people, 27,000 more than a year earlier. Over the last quarter alone, after seasonal adjustment, employment fell by 0.3% and the unemployment rate rose from 5.1% to 5.3%.

Key figures

• +0,5 % : year-on-year rise in the number of people in employment, Q3 2026
• 5,6 % : ILO unemployment rate, versus 5.1% a year earlier
• 288 000 : unemployed people in Switzerland
• 79,2 % : employment rate of 15-64 year-olds, versus 79.8%
• 12.6% of 15-24-year-olds : youth unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2026, or around 76,000 people, according to the Tages-Anzeiger as cited by 20 minutes
• +15% in five years : rise in unemployment among university graduates, according to 20 minutes
• 8,4 % : ILO unemployment rate in France, versus 7.9% a year earlier

Analysis

• According to an unpublished study by theSwiss Employers’ Association, cited by the Tages-Anzeiger, higher vocational education offers good job prospects, because apprenticeships are created where companies have needs.
• According to 20 minutes, geopolitical uncertainty is weighing on hiring in pharma and banking; in IT, artificial intelligence may reduce entry-level positions.

Further reading

• Cross-border workers in Geneva: 116,213 employed, up 3.5% year on year
• Apprenticeships: one contract in four terminated early

Sources

• Federal Statistical Office – Swiss Labour Force Survey, third quarter 2026: labour supply (official source)
• 20 minutes – Youth unemployment hits a record high
• 24 heures – Unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds hits a record in Switzerland