Labour market
Switzerland's labour market in 2026: crafts and technical work
Switzerland's Q3 2026 Job Index, September registered vacancies and opportunities in crafts and technology, with clear reporting periods.
Switzerland's vacancy market stabilised slightly in the third quarter of 2026. The Adecco Group Swiss Job Market Index, released on 15 October, reports a rise of 0.8% compared with both the previous quarter and the same quarter a year earlier. Crafts and technical occupations are a particular focus. [1]
A moderate overall increase does not mean a general recruitment boom or equal prospects in every occupation. Research reference date: 16 October 2026. The sources use different reporting periods, stated separately below.
Read long-term growth in crafts and technology correctly
The index's occupational focus reports advertisements for craft and technical occupations 131% above the 2015/16 starting level. Examples include plumbing and heating installation, electrical work and vehicle mechanics. [1]
This is a long-term change, not a 131% increase during 2026. High demand and a measured skills shortage are also different findings.
| Field | Useful questions for a job search |
|---|---|
| Building services | Specific trade, required evidence and work locations |
| Electrical and electronic work | Duties, responsibility and required authorisations |
| Vehicle technology | Vehicle types, practical experience and hours |
| Construction and infrastructure | Work planning, safety and possible travel |
These editorial search questions are not an official ranking of occupations with the most vacancies.
44,199 vacancies registered with regional employment centres
SECO reported 44,199 vacancies registered with regional employment centres in September 2026. Of these, 66.2% were subject to the vacancy notification requirement. The registered unemployment rate was 3.0%. [2]
The vacancy statistics do not cover every open job in Switzerland and cannot be equated directly with the advertisement index. The registered unemployment rate is also not a direct measure of prospects in a particular occupation.
Employers illustrating different work areas
SBB describes a career-change route into driving construction trains, combining railway operations and construction logistics. Check the current search for opportunities in the intended place. [3]
University Hospital Zurich presents different fields including medicine, nursing and administration. Employer research can therefore extend beyond the most obvious occupational group. [4]
The examples are not ranked by recruitment volume. They do not imply a partnership with Jobvelio or a promise that those employers advertise on our platform.
Search by occupation, region and workload
Combine an activity with a canton, region or town. Check whether the workload and its distribution suit your circumstances: an 80% role does not alone tell you which days or hours are required.
Consider the stated language skills. An English-readable advertisement does not automatically mean English is enough for the workplace. For qualified work, establish which recognised qualifications or authorisations are required.
Cross-border applications require a separate review of personal circumstances. Being near a border does not itself answer questions about permission to work or insurance.
What employers should specify
Describe the activity, workload, workplace and responsibility clearly. Separate mandatory requirements from skills that can be acquired at work.
For craft and technical work, practical information about locations, equipment and hours is particularly useful. Explain on-call duties and shifts early. A clear advertisement supports a focused conversation, but does not replace suitable working conditions.
Information about free vacancy publication.
Sources and interpretation
[1] Adecco Group Switzerland and the Swiss Job Market Monitor at the University of Zurich, Swiss Job Market Index Q3 2026, published 15 October 2026. Its long-term occupational focus and quarterly comparison use different baselines.
Web version of the same report:
https://www.adeccogroup.com/de-ch/zukunft-der-arbeit/job-index/job-index-q3-2026
[2] SECO, labour market in September 2026, published 6 October 2026.
https://www.seco.admin.ch/de/newnsb/Cdju9-o8WGML
[3] SBB, construction-train driver profile, accessed 16 October 2026.
https://company.sbb.ch/de/jobs-karriere/berufswelten/handwerk/lokfuehrer-in-bauzuege.html
[4] University Hospital Zurich vacancies, accessed 16 October 2026.
https://www.usz.ch/jobs/offene-stellen/
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