Switzerland lacks family doctors, who often work far beyond retirement age-by vocation, but also for lack of succession. However, it is only the tree that hides the forest and the needs are glaring in other areas as well.
Beyond the specific issues for certain branches, Switzerland is indeed faced with a structural problem of shortage of labor. Because our population is aging. For the next ten years, the number of retirees in Switzerland will increase by 26%, compared to only 2% for assets. It is estimated that around 460,000 people are missing full -time on the Swiss labor market in ten years. Which raises a very simple question: who will run our hospitals, our companies and our public services?
Figures that make you dizzy
So far, Switzerland has been able to overall compensate for the lack of workforce thanks to European workers. Currently, around a third of the staff in our hospitals are of foreign origin. At the CHUV, this share even amounts to 43%, while on the Geneva side, the HUG reports 51% of foreigners among their staff. But health is not the only sector concerned. We are of course thinking of the hotel and restoration, of which almost 40% of the staff comes from Europe. Or the construction, which is already struggling to recruit, while the needs will further increase. Because beyond the construction of housing and infrastructure, this sector is called upon to play a major role in the energy transition of Switzerland. We can indeed develop all the climate plans that we want, but without labor to make them, they are doomed to remain pious wishes, even by putting billions on the table.
These are only a few examples and needs go far beyond the health or construction sectors. One thing is certain: the free movement of people with the EU will remain a major asset to deal with the challenges that await us because of the aging of our population. Let us recall in passing that free movement is not the door open to everything: only EU/Aele nationals with an employment contract, independent viable activity or sufficient financial means can be established in Switzerland. Let us therefore give back to Europeans what is to Europeans: neighbors of which we are culturally close, but also a precious well-trained and well-integrated labor which contributes to turning the country!
This text appeared on June 24, 2025 in the newspaper La Région.
