Switzerland Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Switzerland's industry employment was 19.59% in 2025, ranked 99th globally. This represents a 1.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Switzerland's industry employment stood at 19.59% in 2025, a decline of +0.26% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 19.49% by 2026. Switzerland ranked 99th globally.
Switzerland’s share of the labour force employed in industry has fallen from an all‑time peak of 27.52 percent in 1991 to a trough of 19.59 percent in 2025, placing the country 99th globally among 195 economies. The 35‑year decline reflects the long‑standing shift toward high‑value services and advanced manufacturing that characterises the Swiss economy, as well as the relative stability of its tertiary sector. By contrast, peer economies such as France (19.34 percent) and Spain (19.85 percent) register slightly lower industrial employment shares, while Bolivia (19.79 percent) and the Republic of Congo (19.48 percent) cluster closely around Switzerland’s 2025 figure despite markedly different development paths. The persistent downward trajectory suggests that further automation, continued expansion of knowledge‑intensive services, and stringent environmental regulations will likely keep the industrial employment share below the 20 percent threshold unless policy incentives revive domestic manufacturing or promote a resurgence in high‑tech industrial clusters.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 19.21% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 19.35% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 19.49% | - | - |
| 2025 | 19.59% | −0.26% | #99 |
| 2024 | 19.85% | −0.06% | #101 |
| 2023 | 19.91% | −0.17% | #100 |
| 2022 | 20.09% | −0.11% | #104 |
| 2021 | 20.20% | −0.24% | #107 |
| 2020 | 20.43% | +0.02% | #111 |
| 2019 | 20.41% | −0.01% | #109 |
| 2018 | 20.43% | −0.05% | #111 |
| 2017 | 20.48% | −0.09% | #110 |
| 2016 | 20.57% | −0.15% | #109 |
| 2015 | 20.71% | −0.40% | #108 |
| 2014 | 21.12% | −0.55% | #110 |
| 2013 | 21.67% | +0.09% | #118 |
| 2012 | 21.58% | −0.35% | #115 |
| 2011 | 21.94% | −0.17% | #116 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Switzerland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Switzerland's industry employment was 19.59% in 2025. Ranked 99th globally. This represents a 1.3% decrease from the previous year.
Switzerland's industry employment peaked at 27.52% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in Switzerland was 19.59% in 2025.
Switzerland ranks 99th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Switzerland's industry employment is projected to reach 19.49% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Switzerland in 2025 was 19.59%. This ranks 99th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_switzerland_industry-employment,
title = {Switzerland Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/switzerland/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}