Many jobs in the hospitality industry are in demand in Switzerland. The tourism sector is an important source of employment in Switzerland. With over 11 million visitors per year, tourism plays an important role in the Swiss economy and provides many employment opportunities. It is estimated that about one in ten employees work (directly or indirectly) in the tourism sector. In the Alpine regions, for example, many people work in the hospitality industry.
Switzerland has many internationally known tourist resorts, such as St. Moritz, Zermatt and Davos.
There is no shortage of jobs, and almost half of those employed in the tourism and hospitality industry are foreigners. Many of them are low-skilled workers, but there are also many who hold responsible positions. Consequently, if the hospitality industry relied only on Swiss nationals, it could close.
Many jobs in the hospitality industry are seasonal (summer or winter), in hotels, restaurants, ski lifts and other establishments where many professionals work, such as: Waiters, kitchen staff, entertainers, receptionists, masseurs, craftsmen, ski instructors, hosts. During the tourist season, the demand for transport staff also increases: drivers, technicians, mechanics, etc.
Even though it is not the Switzerland of years past, it is not very difficult to find jobs in the hospitality industry in Switzerland. Many people say that it is obligatory to know German, which is undoubtedly helpful, but for those who want to work in 4 or 5 star hotels, knowledge of English might be enough. Italian and French are welcome and often required in the respective cantons.
Clearly, those with a high level of professionalism and proficiency in German and/or other languages will have a distinct advantage in the job search.
In any case, do not despair, even if you have little professionalism and no experience, it is likely that you can find work in the cleaning industry. In the meantime, you can learn German and then change jobs.
In the past, almost all hotels offered free room and board for employees, but today this is no longer the case. Today some hotels still offer room and board, but you have to pay for it and the cost is deducted from your salary. In general, the cost is very low (150-200 € per month).
Even though it is seasonal employment, in many places there is the concrete possibility of working almost continuously, because when the winter season ends, the summer season begins almost immediately.
Working hours are usually 40 hours per week, with two days off.
Looking for hospitality jobs in Switzerland
There are several ways to find work:
- Search through recruitment agencies, which often offer vacancies in the hospitality industry
- Search for hotels. In this case, you have to search the Internet for a list of hotels in the city where you would like to work, and then send your CV to all the hotels on the list and wait for a response. This is a long and tiring work, because most of the hotels will not answer you. But sometimes some hotels need staff and invite you for an interview via Skype
- The last option is to search for jobs through websites specialized in tourism and hospitality jobs
Hospitality jobs in Switzerland, wages
A waiter in a major Swiss city like Geneva, Zurich or Bern earns an average of about €3,500 per month. Seasonal workers, who receive room and board, earn less.
If you are interested in learning more about how to find work in Switzerland, I recommend you read the article: How to work in Switzerland
