Latest labour-market data published by Keystone-SDA on 26 February show Swiss employment edging up 0.5 % in Q4 2025, entirely driven by the services sector. Industry shed jobs, but new head-count in IT, financial services and hospitality offset the decline, pushing total vacancies back toward pre-pandemic highs.
The uptick comes just weeks after the Federal Council decided to keep 2026 work-permit quotas unchanged (4,500 B and 4,000 L for third-country nationals; separate UK quotas of 2,100 B and 1,400 L). Employers therefore face tighter competition for allocations – especially in fintech and cyber-security where domestic supply lags demand.
![Swiss service sector hiring climbs again, intensifying competition for foreign talent despite stable permit quotas]()
Companies uncertain about the paperwork required to secure Swiss work permits can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which provides online application tools, expert document review and real-time status tracking for Switzerland: https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ Leveraging such support can save valuable time as quota pressure intensifies.
Mobility managers should start labour-market tests early and document EU/EFTA recruitment efforts meticulously; cantonal authorities are scrutinising applications more closely amid political pressure to prioritise resident job-seekers. Some firms are front-loading 2026 hires into H1 before quotas start to bite.
The data also show that remote-friendly roles account for 38 % of new postings, suggesting continued demand for hybrid cross-border working. Tax advisers note that the new Italy–Switzerland protocol on frontier-worker home-office days (25 % threshold) may become a template for other neighbours if shortages persist.
The uptick comes just weeks after the Federal Council decided to keep 2026 work-permit quotas unchanged (4,500 B and 4,000 L for third-country nationals; separate UK quotas of 2,100 B and 1,400 L). Employers therefore face tighter competition for allocations – especially in fintech and cyber-security where domestic supply lags demand.
Companies uncertain about the paperwork required to secure Swiss work permits can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which provides online application tools, expert document review and real-time status tracking for Switzerland: https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ Leveraging such support can save valuable time as quota pressure intensifies.
Mobility managers should start labour-market tests early and document EU/EFTA recruitment efforts meticulously; cantonal authorities are scrutinising applications more closely amid political pressure to prioritise resident job-seekers. Some firms are front-loading 2026 hires into H1 before quotas start to bite.
The data also show that remote-friendly roles account for 38 % of new postings, suggesting continued demand for hybrid cross-border working. Tax advisers note that the new Italy–Switzerland protocol on frontier-worker home-office days (25 % threshold) may become a template for other neighbours if shortages persist.
