The head of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Helene Budliger Artieda.
Keystone-SDA
Given the demographic slowdown, the Swiss labour market must remain open, argues the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in its annual report on the free movement of people.
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In 2024, net immigration from the EU/EFTA will amount to 53,700 people, 10,000 fewer than in 2023. This will make it possible to meet the strong growth in demand for highly qualified workers.
Swiss companies are also recruiting in the European Union in order to find workers in the hotel and catering, construction and industrial sectors, areas where the indigenous workforce is no longer sufficient, SECO points out in its report published on Tuesday.
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With similar characteristics, EU/EFTA nationals are paid on average similar salaries to Swiss nationals. However, a risk of wage undercutting linked to the employment of cross-border commuters has been identified in Ticino.
The high level of immigration to the labour market in recent years has been accompanied, for the Swiss working population, by a sustained low level of unemployment and an increase in the activity rate. SECO explains that immigration from the EU therefore complements the indigenous workforce, rather than replacing it. It also helps to slow demographic ageing, but cannot stop it.
The current agreement on the free movement of people must be adapted as part of the negotiations with the EU. The government and the social partners have agreed on measures to protect Swiss wage levels.
Translated from French by DeepL/ts
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