Economy: 54% of workers in the canton of Geneva are foreigners

In recent years, and particularly in the context of the agreement on the free movement of persons, the number of foreign workers has increased sharply in the canton of Geneva, especially for skilled jobs.

These statistics come from a study published Tuesday by the Cantonal Statistical Office (OCSTAT) on the foreign workforce in the canton. It appears that the number of employees in the private sector increased by an average of 3.31 full-time equivalent (FTE) per year between 2000 and 2008. The average annual increase in the number of foreign employees is more pronounced than that of Swiss nationals (4.31 FTE and 2.31 FTE respectively).

The facts

In fact, more than half of the 180,000 employees (54%) in the private sector of the canton of Geneva come from elsewhere. Of this number, 24% hold a cross-border permit, 17% hold a settlement permit, and 10% hold a residence permit.

It is worth noting that the number of jobs requiring higher education and qualifications has increased significantly. Companies often hire foreign workers to fill these positions.

Wage inequality

A broadening of the salary range at the top would explain the increase in the number of high-wage jobs. Low-wage jobs, on the other hand, tend to stagnate in terms of purchasing power. They have only increased by 2% in eight years, while high-wage jobs have grown by 18%.

With 7,500 francs, the Swiss have the highest gross monthly salary in Europe, ahead of those with residence permits, cross-border workers and established workers (2008 figures).

Source: www.tsr.ch