Can you work in Switzerland speaking only English?

The short answer

Yes. Right now this site lists 1,826 open jobs in Switzerland where English is the only required language.

They are concentrated in international companies, in a handful of sectors and in a handful of cities. Outside that bubble, most jobs ask for German, French or Italian, depending on the region.

Where the English-only jobs are

Right now the most English-only openings are in Zurich, Basel and Lausanne & Vaud.

• Zurich: banking, insurance, tech and consulting.
• Basel: pharma and life sciences, with Roche and Novartis.
• Geneva: international organisations, private banking and commodity trading.
• Lausanne and Vaud: EPFL, startups and multinationals along Lake Geneva.
• Zug: commodity trading, holding companies and crypto.

Which sectors hire in English

• IT and software, especially at international tech companies and startups.
• Science and research, from pharma labs to ETH Zurich and EPFL.
• Finance roles that serve international clients.
• Consulting and other roles at global companies with a Swiss headquarters.

Switzerland’s languages

Switzerland has four national languages. German is spoken in the north, centre and east (Swiss German dialects in everyday speech), French in the west, Italian in Ticino and Romansh in parts of Graubünden. Which one you hear at work depends on where the office is.

Your permit matters more than your language

Speaking only English doesn’t stop you getting a work permit. Your nationality does most of the deciding. EU and EFTA citizens can take a job under free movement. Everyone else needs the employer to apply, and only qualified workers are admitted. Our guide to Swiss work permits explains each route.

Does it help to learn German or French?

Yes, for three reasons. It opens up far more jobs than the English-only ones, it makes daily life easier, and language skills count when you apply for permanent residence later on.