Four out of five jobseekers are satisfied with the advice they receive from the regional employment centres (RAVs) and with the reliability of daily allowance payments by the unemployment insurance funds. These are the results of two surveys that were published by SECO on 6 October. The digital services offered by the Unemployment Insurance are also popular among many users.

The number of unemployed people fell month-on-month in March by 4,821 (-3.2%) to 146,255. Compared with the same month last year, unemployment has risen by 13,686 (+10.3%). The unemployment rate increased in March by 0.1 percentage points to 3.1% compared with the previous month.

On 22 April 2026, the delegations of the European Council and the Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the revision of Regulation 883/2004 (coordination of social security systems) as part of the trilogue procedure. Switzerland is following this revision closely.

On 8 October, the Federal Council extended the maximum eligibility period for short-time working compensation to 24 months. Through this increase in the eligibility period, it is primarily providing targeted support to export-oriented sectors and businesses in Switzerland. The amended Ordinance will enter into force on 1 November 2025 and will apply until 31 July 2026.

Following the rollout of the new ASAL 2.0 payment system for unemployment insurance funds, some significant technical issues occurred. Despite this, around CHF 363 million in unemployment benefits were paid out by the end of January 2026, which is in line with the required amount. SECO regrets any delays.