Switzerland Jobless Rate Steady at 3% for 3rd Month

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.0% for a third month in a row in October 2026. The number of unemployed people rose by 535 from a month earlier to 141,015. Across the cantons, the largest increases were recorded in Wallis (+327), Bern (+300), and Graubünden (+204), while Waadt saw the biggest decline (-250). The services sector accounted for the largest increase in unemployment (+696), followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing (+116), while industry recorded a decrease (-115). The jobless rate among young people aged 15 to 24 ticked down to 3.2% from 3.3% in September, with the number of unemployed youth falling by 679 to 13,667. The unemployment rate for workers aged 50 to 64 edged up to 2.7% from 2.6%, as the number of unemployed people in this age group increased by 239 to 38,721. Registered job seekers dropped by 3,737 to 40,462. Seasonally adjusted, the jobless rate was 3.1%, unchanged from the previous six months.

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.0% in September 2026, unchanged from the previous two months. The number of unemployed people fell by 1,064 from a month earlier to 140,480. Across the cantons, the largest decreases were recorded in Zürich (-355), St. Gallen (-224), Aargau (-204), Freiburg (-185), and Waadt (-147). The drop in unemployment was limited to the industry (-548) and services (-546) sectors. The jobless rate among young people aged 15 to 24 edged down to 3.3% from a five-and-a-half-year high of 3.4% in August, with the number of unemployed youth falling by 332 to 14,346. The unemployment rate for workers aged 50 to 64 also ticked lower to 2.6% from 2.7%, as the number of unemployed people in this age group decreased by 201 to 38,482. Registered job seekers rose by 466 to 44,199. Seasonally adjusted, the jobless rate was unchanged at 3.1% for the fifth month in a row.

Switzerland’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.0% in August 2026, unchanged from the prior month. The number of unemployed people rose by 2,268 from a month earlier to 141,544. Unemployment rose across most cantons, with the largest increases recorded in Waadt (+879), Genf (+365), Zürich (+347), and Aargau (+193). The rise in unemployment was concentrated in the services sector (+1,895), particularly in health and social services. The jobless rate among young people aged 15 to 24 rose to 3.4%, the highest since March 2021, from 2.8% in July, with the number of unemployed youth rising by 2,384 to 14,678. The unemployment rate for workers aged 50 to 64 was steady at 2.7%, with the number of unemployed people in this age group falling by just 62 to 38,683. The number of registered job seekers edged up by 48 to 227,248, while reported job vacancies fell by 1,423 to 43,733. Seasonally adjusted, the jobless rate was unchanged at 3.1% for the fourth month in a row.