460,000 workers will be missing in Switzerland in 2035
Backed by this agreement, since 2022, a program entitled “Perspectives” has been implemented by the Swisscontact foundation on mandate from the SEM in particular, to facilitate the connection between Tunisians and Swiss employers, while the agreement remains little known . Since 2014, 201 young people have come to Switzerland, and 38 in 2024, with regular progression in recent years. In sectors like engineering, architecture or IT, among others. The limit is 150 participants per year.
Circular mobility opportunity for young Tunisians on one side, leverage for Swiss employers on the other? Although the shortage of personnel has recently eased a little on the Swiss job market, the problem is far from being resolved in the long term: according to figures from Economiesuisse, there will be a shortage of 460,000 workers in Switzerland in 2035 , was recalled in the introduction to the event.
Additional seasonal needs Tunisia-Valais
And the hotel and catering sector is not left out, even if the shortage has also temporarily eased a little. “We identified with Madame Milad very complementary seasonal needs, so the potential is there,” describes the director of HotellerieSuisse Valais, Beat Eggel. In Valais, the most important tourist season runs from December 15 to March 31. But this is the time when the seaside resorts are closed in Tunisia.”
Employers in Valais may be interested, believes Beat Eggel. “Training in Tunisia in the sector is good, the country has a strong tourist history and for French-speaking Valais, young Tunisians speak French well.”
Dora Milad and Beat Eggel will therefore remain in contact. “We are still going to do research into profiles and skills and the idea would be to communicate precisely through our members, and perhaps to anticipate with a view to seasonal staff for next winter. If some hoteliers have good experiences and talk about them, it could have a snowball effect.”
However, he sets a limit: “It would be more complicated for young people who would like to come for longer than a few months, since the profiles hired beyond the season are rather on permanent contracts.”
-A long hotel tradition
During a round table during the event, Dora Milad recalled the “long tradition of the hotel industry since independence in the 1960s”. The Tunisian Hotel Federation which she chairs has more than 400 members, from large three to five star hotels. It describes cutting-edge training that adapts to market developments and is also attentive to environmental issues or artificial intelligence. “Every year, Tunisia trains between 50,000 and 100,000 people in the tourism sector,” she specifies.
On the sidelines of the event, she attests to this complementarity between mountain hotels in Switzerland and seaside hotels in Tunisia, which are closing or have low occupancy rates. “It would therefore be win-win, as part of a balanced exchange,” she rejoices. We will collect information on skills needs on the Swiss side and contact our members to look for candidates.” She mentions the sense of Tunisian welcome, the hotels which have always welcomed European tourists… and that the German market is the second largest tourist market in Tunisia. Many colleagues therefore speak German!” she assures.
“Passion and agility”
At this same round table during Tuesday’s event, Inès Blal, associate professor at EHL Hospitality Business School. Are hotels asking for these profiles? asks Valère Gogniat, journalist at Temps which drives the debate. “Our partners like HotellerieSuisse are showing an interest, even if things are struggling to materialize,” observes Inès Blal. In Switzerland, there may be a certain reluctance compared to those who do not have a first professional experience in Switzerland. Hence the importance of being able to count on the first success stories of young Tunisians! The training is equivalent, there is no gap.”
A Swiss hotelier in the audience reacts: “I employ a young Tunisian and things are going very, very well! The only problem is knowing that this program exists, he testifies. These young people have a lot of willpower, a passion for the hotel industry, they are agile, they speak various languages. Employers, go ahead!”
