One in three Swiss workers were over the age of 50 in 2020, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The unemployment rate for people in the 50-64 age bracket is lower than those between 25 and 49.
In 2020, 1.65 million employees aged 50 or older lived in Switzerland, representing 33.5% of the total working population, according to an annual survey by the statistics office. In 1991, only one in four Swiss workers (24%) was in the labour market.
FSO says the aging of the workforce is connected with predominance of the baby boomer generation, people born between 1945 and 1964.
Last year, 81.4% of the population aged 50 to 64 were professionally active, compared with 70.9% in 1991. This increase is attributed largely to a heightened activity rate of women.
In the European context, Switzerland was last year among the few countries in which more than eight out of ten people between the ages of 50 and 64 were professionally active. The other countries were Sweden (86%), Iceland (83%), and Estonia (81.3%). The EU average is 70.3%.
The past two decades also show a slight drop in the number of people working in Switzerland beyond their 65th birthday. In 2020, 17% of people in the 65 to 74 age group were professionally active, compared to 19.7% in 1991.
Part-time work is on the rise for 50 to 64-year-olds. In 2020, 40.3% of those in this age group worked part-time, compared with 35.2% of those between the ages of 25 and 49.
A few sectors stand out for their high share of workers over the age of 50. Older workers are overrepresented in transportation and warehouse jobs (37% of those employed) and public administration roles (34.5%), for example.
Older people are almost twice as likely to work independently compared to their younger cohorts (18.1% vs. 9.5%) and are also more likely to work on weekends (20.6% vs. 16.1). They also tend to have 3.5 more vacation days per year compared to other age groups, according to the same source.
Unemployment and retirement trends
In 2020, the unemployment rate for those aged 50 to 64 was slightly lower when compared to that of workers between the ages of 25 and 49 (4% compared to 4.7%). A gender difference was also noted, with a lower rate of unemployment for women compared to men (3.5% and 4.3% respectively).
Among unemployed 50 to 64-year-olds, just under half (48.9%) had been looking for a job for more than a year.
About one in three (32.7%) had been doing the same in the 25-49 age bracket. In an international comparison, Switzerland was roughly in the middle of the pack in terms of the unemployment rate for people aged 50 to 64.
In 2020, the average age of leaving the labor market stood at 65.2 (for men 65.6 and women 64.9). Self-employed people retired from the labour force much later than those who worked as employees (67.5 versus 64.9 years). About 4.8% of men and 4.2% of women workers opt for early retirement.
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
Swiss cinemas report drop in admissions in first half of 2024
This content was published on
The decline in cinema-goers has continued so far this year. Swiss films and smaller cinemas are holding up better than big US productions and multiplex.
Spread of Japanese beetle leads to lawn-watering bans in Basel
This content was published on
Basel City authorities have extended an infestation zone with strict guidelines to a good third of the canton’s territory.
Bad weather forces closure of many Swiss hiking trails
This content was published on
Some 620 trails are still closed due to the extreme weather this summer, with the canton of Valais particularly hard hit.
This content was published on
The two cities have beaten off Zurich and Bern to make it onto the shortlist to host the Europe-wide singing extravaganza next May.
This content was published on
Construction expenditure rose by 0.3% last year in nominal terms, but the price-adjusted situation reveals a 2.5% drop, statistics show.
Another body found in southern Switzerland after June storms
This content was published on
The body found in the Maggia river in Ticino on Thursday is “likely” to be the sixth victim of storms last month, police said.
Swiss helicopter rescue pioneers safe autopilot approach system
This content was published on
Swiss air rescue company Rega has received approval for a new kind of instrument flight system for approaching a hospital.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Too old to be hired, too young to retire
This content was published on
The second-floor office in the Regional Employment Centre (RAV) serving central Bern is full of large plants. Birds twitter outside the windows, and the sun shines in. Spring has sprung in the Swiss capital, but the people coming to RAV aren’t necessarily enjoying the weather. They’ve lost their jobs, and finding a new one can…
Pension reform in Switzerland: a democratic balancing act
This content was published on
All major efforts since 2003 at reforming the Swiss pension system have failed. Is this a case of democracy meeting its limits?
Half of Swiss see themselves working beyond retirement age
This content was published on
Around a third of respondents to a survey by the Swiss Life insurance group said they were already working, although officially retired.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.