Switzerland Jobless Rate Ticks Up to 3%

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked higher to 3.0% in July 2026 from 2.9% in the previous month. The number of unemployed people increased by 1,525 from a month earlier to 139,276. Across the cantons, the largest increases were recorded in Zurich (+372), Bern (+356), and Vaud (+236), while Aargau (-119), Graubünden (-44), and Jura (-17) posted the biggest declines. Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 edged up to 2.8% from 2.7%, with the number of unemployed youth rising by 473 to 12,319. The number of registered job seekers increased by 1,409 to 227,200, while reported job vacancies fell by 2,088 to 45,156. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.1%.

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 2.9% in June 2026 from 3.0% in each of the previous two months, coming in below market expectations of 3.1%. This was the lowest jobless rate since November 2025, as the number of unemployed people decreased by 2.5 thousand from the previous month to 137.75 thousand. Unemployment fell across most cantons, with the largest decreases recorded in Wallis (-411), Graubünden (-281), and Aargau (-254). By sector, unemployment declined notably in construction (-786) and hospitality (-760). The unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 held steady at 2.7%, while the rate for older workers aged 50 to 64 ticked lower to 2.6% from 2.7%. Meanwhile, reported job vacancies rose by 2.5 thousand to 47.2 thousand. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the jobless rate was unchanged at 3.1%.

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.0% in May 2026, unchanged from April and above market expectations of 2.9%. The number of unemployed people fell by 2.6 thousand from the previous month to 140.2 thousand, although unemployment remained 9.6% higher than a year earlier. The decline in unemployment was broad-based across most cantons, with the sharpest decreases recorded in Graubünden (-13.7%), Freiburg (-4.8%), and Wallis (-4.4%). By sector, unemployment fell notably in construction (-6.5%) and hospitality (-5.4%), reflecting seasonal improvements in labor demand. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed workers in finance and insurance services increased by 0.8% from April and was 19.4% higher than a year earlier. Youth unemployment, defined as job-seekers aged 15 to 24, was unchanged at 2.7%, while job vacancies fell by 3.7 thousand to 44.7 thousand. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the jobless rate edged up to 3.1% from 3.0%.