Zurich Airport opened the mid-week programme of its second annual “Berufstage” careers week on 5 November 2025 with a series of recruitment events aimed at pilots, ground-handling staff and air-traffic controllers. Sessions such as “Your Path to the SWISS Cockpit” and "SWISS New Talents – Internships & More" drew more than 600 participants, half of whom were international students or recent graduates, underscoring Switzerland’s reliance on cross-border talent to keep its aviation sector competitive.
The Swiss aviation industry expects to add 5 000 jobs by 2030 as traffic rebounds and as the new Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) rolls out at Zurich on 17 November. Speakers from SWISS, Edelweiss and Swissport told attendees that multilingual skills and EU flight-crew licences are in high demand. To accelerate onboarding of non-EU nationals, several employers said they now routinely use the “135-day in-country rule” and the 4-week fast-track L-Permit pilot introduced in 2024, allowing critical staff to start work while full permits are processed.
![Zurich Airport’s ‘Berufstage 2025’ Puts Global Aviation Careers in the Spotlight Amid Skill Shortages]()
Global-mobility professionals attending the event highlighted persistent housing shortages around the airport. Zurich's cantonal authorities confirmed that a new temporary-residence zone with 300 bed-spaces will open in Kloten in March 2026 to ease pressure on relocating staff. Employers were urged to coordinate early with relocation providers to secure accommodation and schooling for dependants.
The Berufstage’s industry round-table also addressed upcoming EU safety regulations requiring enhanced background checks for crew. Swiss recruiters warned that processing times for the necessary security clearances have doubled to six weeks and may affect assignment start dates. Mobility teams were advised to factor the delay into project timelines and to provide candidates with notarised copies of criminal-record extracts.
The careers week continues until 9 November and is seen by airport authorities as a key branding exercise to attract the international labour force Switzerland needs. Mobility managers who missed the in-person sessions can stream recordings via the airport’s HR portal and download a new “Relocating to Zurich Airport” guide that summarises permit categories, housing options and tax implications for shift workers.
The Swiss aviation industry expects to add 5 000 jobs by 2030 as traffic rebounds and as the new Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) rolls out at Zurich on 17 November. Speakers from SWISS, Edelweiss and Swissport told attendees that multilingual skills and EU flight-crew licences are in high demand. To accelerate onboarding of non-EU nationals, several employers said they now routinely use the “135-day in-country rule” and the 4-week fast-track L-Permit pilot introduced in 2024, allowing critical staff to start work while full permits are processed.
Global-mobility professionals attending the event highlighted persistent housing shortages around the airport. Zurich's cantonal authorities confirmed that a new temporary-residence zone with 300 bed-spaces will open in Kloten in March 2026 to ease pressure on relocating staff. Employers were urged to coordinate early with relocation providers to secure accommodation and schooling for dependants.
The Berufstage’s industry round-table also addressed upcoming EU safety regulations requiring enhanced background checks for crew. Swiss recruiters warned that processing times for the necessary security clearances have doubled to six weeks and may affect assignment start dates. Mobility teams were advised to factor the delay into project timelines and to provide candidates with notarised copies of criminal-record extracts.
The careers week continues until 9 November and is seen by airport authorities as a key branding exercise to attract the international labour force Switzerland needs. Mobility managers who missed the in-person sessions can stream recordings via the airport’s HR portal and download a new “Relocating to Zurich Airport” guide that summarises permit categories, housing options and tax implications for shift workers.
