What is the Zurich job market like?

[rookie]

I understand that proposed laws in Switzerland will make it harder for new immigrants, even skilled ones, to find work, by favoring applicants already in the country. Despite this, is it still a good time to try to find work in Zurich for a foreigner?

[Serge_Malikov]

You have asked a very generic question, so it depends...
Foreigners are already subject to quotas, and the principles of restricted migration won't get easier with time. Switzerland wants to stay competitive, after all.

However, skilled experts are able to find a job in CH and have a boost in their careers. The industry branches with high demand in foreign workers include (but are not limited to) pharma, chemistry, insurance, banking, IT, engineering etc.

[Mike_Taylor1]

Which passports do you hold?

[zahhar]

Hi Patric,

Zürich market is still open to immigrants. Some restrictions were introduce in Ticino canton at the border with Italy, and even those are minor and apply starting from next year.

Despite that, I would not recommend coming to Zürich without a job offer in your pocket, unless you have a place to live and enough money to support you during at least 6 month. Indeed, for any job where communications are important, employees with good command of German (or French) are preferred. This does not apply for IT-jobs however, so if you are a good Cobol programmer, you will be welcomed in one of the banks.

On the other hand, there is a growing trend of moving abroad all expensive IT-infrastructure, including workforce. So in a long run there is expected less demand for bare IT-specialists, like DevOps, software engineers, etc.

Outside of IT there is a growing demand in scientists, engineers, researchers, managers, etc. I would recommend you to start looking for a job from your home country, or from where you are located right now. For me (I am technical project manager) it took 2 years to find a job in Zürich, so it is possible.