Switzerland — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Switzerland, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Switzerland was 4.87% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.01% in 2021. The lowest was 1.82% in 1991 (about 2.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.94% per year.
Switzerland ranks 105 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 56%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Switzerland sits below it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 31 of 49 economies; Kazakhstan (4.77%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 51% in 1993. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1996. Doubling roughly every 24 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 163rd of 187 in 1991 → 162nd of 187 in 2000 → 124th of 187 in 2010 → 129th of 187 in 2020 → 100th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.87% | +0.5 pp |
| 2024 | 4.34% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 4.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 4.12% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 5.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 4.82% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 4.39% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 4.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 4.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 4.92% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 4.8% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 4.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 4.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 4.41% | -0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 4.81% | +0.7 pp |
| 2009 | 4.11% | +0.8 pp |
| 2008 | 3.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 3.64% | -0.4 pp |
| 2006 | 4% | -0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 4.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 4.32% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 4.12% | +1.2 pp |
| 2002 | 2.92% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 2.49% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 2.66% | -0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 3.05% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 3.57% | -0.6 pp |
| 1997 | 4.13% | +0.4 pp |
| 1996 | 3.68% | +0.6 pp |
| 1995 | 3.09% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 3.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 3.55% | +1.2 pp |
| 1992 | 2.34% | +0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 1.82% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Switzerland’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.34% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Switzerland’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +168.0% in total — about 2.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.87%; 2024: 4.34%; 2023: 4.04%; 2022: 4.12%; 2021: 5.01%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.