Jobs in the city of Zurich - your next place of work

Jobs in the city of Zurich and Geneva are known worldwide for a variety of reasons. In German-speaking Switzerland, jobs in the city of Zurich are known for offering the highest salaries. But that's not the only advantage. Click here to interesting places to advise.

Jobs in the city of Zurich

When you work in Zurich, you take part in one of the most competitive economies in the world and one of the strongest regional economies in Switzerland. Switzerland is a very wealthy country that has recovered well after the 2008/2009 financial crisis and has held its own in the Eurozone crisis. In 2012, Swiss GDP only grew by 1%, but current forecasts predict an economic recovery in the future.

However, the unemployment rate remains quite low at 2.9% or less in 2012. It rose slightly at the beginning of 2013, but now appears to have stabilized around the 3 percent mark.

A service-oriented economy

The canton of Zurich is often referred to as Switzerland's economic growth engine. This growth is strongly service-oriented. Today, only a few of Zurich's highly qualified workers still work in Zurich's manufacturing sector, let alone in agriculture. In the canton, around 80% of all employees work in the service sector. In the city itself, this proportion is as high as 90%. The most important field of employment for Zurich residents is of course finance.

Those: pexels.com

The Zurich financial sector is often seen as synonymous with the professionalism, prosperity and discretion of Swiss banks in general. In fact, Zurich is one of the 10 most important financial markets in the world, comparable to New York's Wall Street or the City of London. In addition to the Swiss Stock Exchange, the city is home to well-known names from the financial and insurance sectors such as UBS, Crédit Suisse, Swiss Life, Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance Group and AXA Winterthur.

Jobs in the city of Zurich that are not related to finance

Even if you don't plan to work in Zurich's banks and insurance companies, the city and canton offer many potential employers for highly qualified expatriates. There are a number of jobs in the city of Zurich that are not related to finance. The Zurich Office for Economic Affairs and Labor is striving to strengthen other industries in the region. Although the financial sector will remain important, it could become less important on a global scale. The interest in other areas that offer job opportunities in Zurich is all the greater: tourism, health and life sciences, aerospace companies and the creative industries are attracting more and more people who want to work in Zurich.

Those: metropolitanraum-zuerich.ch

Potential growth sectors such as medical technology, micro- and nanotechnology as well as IT/CT benefit from the presence of several renowned universities in the Greater Zurich Area. Research and development as well as business intelligence benefit from graduates from the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich or the University of St. Gallen. Today's MBA student or newly minted doctor can become tomorrow's entrepreneur, working in the Zurich Technology Park or in Google's development labs.

In addition to Google, numerous other multinational companies also have their Swiss or even European headquarters in the Zurich region. You can also find a job in vehicle technology (BMW, Fiat, Ford, Renault, Volvo), in chemistry and pharmaceuticals (Bayer, Pfizer) or in management consulting (PWC).

Advice for job seekers in Zurich

Managers who want to work in Zurich are often recruited through headhunters or international recruitment agencies. However, as a well-qualified expat below senior management, you will likely have to do the majority of the work yourself. If you can imagine working for a global player, you should first look directly at the companies' websites. Companies of this size usually advertise all vacancies online and have a standardized hiring process.

Those: pexels.com

The numerous foreign chambers of commerce in Zurich are a good place to start for networking purposes. Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA are among Switzerland's most important trading partners. Citizens of these countries or people with professional experience in these markets therefore have a good chance of working in Zurich. Last but not least, below are some job search engines that expats dreaming of working in Zurich should try.

Social security for expats in Zurich

Expats living in Zurich enjoy the advantages but also face the occasional disadvantages of the Swiss social security system. The latter are usually associated with bureaucratic effort, forms to fill out and appointments with local offices. On the positive side, social security improves the quality of life of expatriates in Switzerland.

Taking out health insurance is mandatory for all expatriates in Switzerland. The Swiss healthcare system has excellent quality standards, but these cannot be used without health insurance. To find out more about health insurance in Switzerland, read our article about healthcare in Zurich.

The “three pillars” of the Swiss social security system
The most important part of social security in Switzerland is the national pension insurance. It includes old-age pensions (AHV), survivors' pensions and disability insurance and is financed in three different ways. These are often referred to as the “three pillars of social security.”

Firstly, all employees, employers and self-employed people pay a monthly contribution to the state pension fund. Secondly, anyone who earns more than 20,520 CHF per year (like most Swiss employees) is automatically part of an occupational provision/pension fund. The “third pillar” refers to private pension funds. Taking out a private pension fund is purely voluntary, although the pension funds available are regulated by Swiss law.

Social security for expatriates in Switzerland: The “first pillar”

If you are part of your home country's national pension system, your Swiss Social Security (AHV) contributions may help increase your retirement benefits in your home country, or you may be entitled to a Swiss pension abroad once you retire.

However, this depends on whether your country of origin has concluded a bilateral social security agreement with Switzerland or not. Such agreements exist between Switzerland and all EU/EFTA states as well as Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, India, Israel, Japan, Canada, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Philippines, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey and the UNITED STATES.

Citizens of other countries can receive a partial refund of their social security contributions when they leave Switzerland. The Federal Social Insurance Office or the SVA Zurich will answer all questions in this regard.

Occupational provision and private pensions

Those: pexels.com

For some expats, the money they have paid into their company pension scheme remains in a Swiss account until five years before the normal retirement age. Only then can they access the money and transfer it, for example, to their own pension fund at home.

However, this regulation only applies to expatriates from EU/EFTA countries who remain insured in their home country. Other foreigners can get the money back from their occupational pension scheme when they go home. If you have any questions about the “Second Pillar”, please contact the central office of the BVG Security Fund.

If you run a private pension scheme in your home country or want to set one up in Switzerland, contact the bank or insurance company of your choice directly. They will be able to tell you whether and how frequent moves around the world can affect your participation in such private provision.

Benefits for expat families

Expat women working in Zurich - both female employees and self-employed women - are entitled to paid maternity leave. Every woman who has worked for at least three months before giving birth and paid insurance contributions for at least nine months is entitled to certain financial benefits. In addition, pregnant women cannot be fired unless they are still in the probationary period of their employment contract.

Up to 14 weeks after giving birth, you will receive 80% of your previous income (up to 196 CHF per day). However, if a mother wants to go back to work afterwards, she and her partner have to take care of the childcare themselves. There is no paternity leave in Switzerland.

All employees in Switzerland - including expatriates - are entitled to family allowances for their children. Since 2013, this has also applied to self-employed parents. In the canton of Zurich you usually receive between 200 and 250 CHF per child per month. Please contact SVA Zurich to find out how you can apply for family allowances.

You get what you work for

Most employees in Zurich have fairly good working conditions. There is no national minimum wage in Switzerland, although wages in some areas of work are regulated by collective bargaining agreements (GAV). Nevertheless, the majority of the working population has a higher salary than in other European countries.

In 2014, the average gross wage in Switzerland was CHF 6,160 per month. Salaries are likely to be even higher in the Zurich financial sector. However, the high salaries are due to the high cost of living, and Zurich is one of the most expensive regions in the entire country. If your salary is negotiable, you should consider this. If you want to know what Swiss people earn in similar professions, take a look at this salary calculator from the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (only available in French, German and Italian).

Around 10% of your gross salary is deducted directly for the payment of social security contributions. You have to pay tax on the remaining income. Although your actual tax rate will vary, as a rule of thumb you can assume that at least 10% of your salary will go to the Swiss tax office. The remaining amount is your monthly household budget for living expenses such as health insurance, medical expenses, rent, transportation, groceries, etc.

Working hours and annual leave

The maximum working hours per week set by law varies slightly depending on the area of ​​employment. However, for most employees it is 45 hours. In 2014, employees in Switzerland worked an average of 41.7 hours per week, so contracts with 42 or 42.5 hours per week are common.

Those: pexels.com

As far as paid vacation is concerned, you are entitled to 20 days vacation per year. The Swiss certainly live up to their reputation as an extremely hard-working people. In 2012, Swiss unions organized a referendum to increase the minimum annual vacation to six weeks - the proposal failed spectacularly. So when you start working in Zurich, your contract will probably provide for four weeks of paid vacation per year.

In work areas covered by a collective employment agreement (GAV), older employees or those who have been working in the same company for a long time often receive five more days. In addition to your regular vacation, you can take all national and regional holidays off, provided they do not fall on a weekend anyway. In the canton of Zurich, this means up to nine additional paid holidays per year.

Unemployed: what now?

If you are looking for jobs in the city of Zurich, this section will help you. If you are laid off during your time as an expat in Zurich, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit. Anyone who has paid social security contributions for at least twelve months in the last two years will receive financial benefits under certain conditions. Among other things, you must not have quit without cause and you must prove that you are actively looking for work.

If you meet the legal requirements, you will receive 70-80% of your income for at least eight months. The exact amount and duration of these benefits depend on various factors, e.g. B. on your family situation and the length of your previous employment. If you become unemployed after moving to Zurich, please contact your local office as soon as possible RAV (regional employment center) .

Does unemployment mean that you lose your work and residence permit? Not necessarily. If your residence permit is due to be renewed while you are between jobs, this can become a problem. In this case you have no legal right to an extension of the permit.

However, as long as you meet the legal requirements for receiving unemployment benefits or can prove that you have sufficient financial resources, your permit will likely be extended for another year. Contact the Zurich Migration Office in good time and discuss your case to avoid unpleasant surprises.