Working in Zurich means participating in one of the most competitive economies worldwide, not just within its renowned financial sector but also in fields like tourism, health, medical or micro/nano technologies, academic, and so on!
Hence, are you wondering how you may find your dream job in Zurich?
If you see yourself working for a global player, we’d suggest you to start by checking the companies’ websites directly, or applying for their last online vacancies.
Otherwise, you can rely on the main Swiss job search engines:
The much-feared work permit
Obtaining a work permit in Switzerland may be quite tricky, and it depends on many factors, including where you are from, the skills you have, and the quotas you can provide.
Switzerland has a dual system for allowing foreigners to work while in the country:
- Citizens from EU/EFTA are generally allowed to come to Switzerland for three months while they start looking for work;
- Workers from the so-called third states are admitted in limited numbers, being available just 8,500 work permits per year.
In any case, we suggest you to check in advance if you need a visa to work in the country!
4 reasons to work in Zurich
Working in Zurich can be a valuable asset to your career, for four main reasons:
1. Well-known Swiss precision and efficiency
It’s not just a cliché: the country is worldwide known for its modern and efficient bureaucratic system. Strong values like punctuality, efficiency, and reliability make it the perfect city to work in!
2. Focus on the employees’ job performance
The need of assuring employees a good work/life balance is keenly felt in Zurich: the adherence to lunch breaks, a culture of part-time work, and the high salaries are all things that contribute to achieving it.
Besides, the majority of businesses pay attention to their employees’ professional growth, by offering them cutting-edge learning programs that make the whole company grow in terms of digital and technologies.
3. Satisfying employees’ benefits
If you have a contract with a Switzerland-based company for more than eight hours a week, then they must pay your accident insurance.
This means that if you have an accident – whether at work or elsewhere out – the medical costs will be covered, and your employer must pay you the 80% of your wages during your sick leave.
What’s more, some larger companies may also pay your monthly basic health insurance premiums and/or offer a GA rail card.
4. Great unemployment system
If you’ll have been working in Zurich for at least a year and then become unemployed, you may benefit of a really generous unemployment system.
In fact, you’d be entitled to the 80% of your last salary for 18 months, as well as frequent meetings with the job center and some free language courses.
