Switzerland - Real Wages & Salaries




Switzerland: Real Wages & Salaries

Mnemonic YPEWS$.ICHE
Unit 2010 = 100, NSA
Adjustments Not Seasonally Adjusted
Annual 1.86 %
Data 2022 105.6
2021 107.6

Series Information

Source Banque National Suisse
Release Wage Indices
Frequency Annual
Start Date 12/31/2010
End Date 12/31/2022

Switzerland: Labor

Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Unemployment Mar 2024 108,593 111,879 #, NSA Monthly
Unemployment Rate Mar 2024 2.4 2.4 %, NSA Monthly
Primary Industries Employment 2023 Q4 129.96 138.11 Ths. #, NSA Quarterly
Secondary Industries Employment 2023 Q4 1,075 1,070 Ths. #, NSA Quarterly
Real Wages & Salaries 2022 105.6 107.6 2010 = 100, NSA Annual
Agriculture Employment 2017 173,023 164,400 # Annual
Labor Force 2016 4,889,215 4,814,298 # Annual
Labor Force Employment 2016 Q4 5,080 5,051 Ths. Quarterly
Total Employment 2016 Q4 5,080 5,051 Ths. Quarterly

Release Information

Description

Data are disseminated on an average gross wages of full-time adults and part-time female adults. The index (2005=100) is a Laspeyres index covering the entire country.

Definition: The indicators of the annual evolution of the average gross wages of full-time adults and part time female adults are expressed as indices. The structure of workers is fixed at a chosen base year so that the index does not reflect changes in salaries due to changes in the composition of employment. The earnings information is collected on forms filled by the injured workers and enterprises and gathered by the Central Statistical Service for Accident Insurance.

Components of the indices: The data include gross remuneration before any deductions are made for taxes and social contributions. Data also include the cost-of-living allowances and the 13th salary. The wage indices do not include "wages in kind" nor irregular payments such as bonuses, overtime payment nor allowances such as family allowances. Data on wages refer only to wages for adults over 19 and only for normal hours.

Switzerland follows the current International Recommendation on Labour Statistics, ILO, 1985, but the following deviations exist: the wage indices do not include regular paid allowances, "wages in kind" nor irregular payments, bonuses and allowances.

Classification: Nomenclature des Activités des Communautés Européennes, Rev.1 (statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community, NACE-Rev.1).

Methodology

Scope of the data

  • Geographical coverage: The geographical area covered is Switzerland.
  • Industrial coverage: All branches of economic activity in sectors 2 and 3.
  • Coverage of workers: full-time adults and part-time female adults (age 19 to 65 for men and age 19 to 64 for women).
  • Topical coverage: Indices are produced for the whole economy, for economic sectors (sectors 2 and 3), and by sex. The data are broken down by economic branches (NACE.Rev1; 2nd digit)) or groups of branches. Rates of growth are also produced between the current year and the year earlier.
  • Transactions coverage: The earnings information collected on the SUVA forms (SUVA) : the Central Statistical Service for Accident Insurance) relates to employees gross wages before any deductions are made for taxes and social contributions. On top of gross pay, the earnings include the 13th month wage and additional payment for inflation compensation.

    • Exceptions to coverage

  • Earnings data exclude all payments in kind, overtime, profit related pay and bonuses.
  • The analyses relate to full-time employees on adult rate and part-time female employees. The index covers all employees in the economy, except agriculture.
  • The index covers all branches in the economy (Sector 2 and 3).

    • Valuation

    Data are disseminated on an average gross wages of full-time adults full-time adults and part-time female adults (age 19 to 65 for men and age 19 to 64 for women).
    The index is a Laspeyres index (constant structure indicators), with 2005 as the basis year (2005=100).

    Monthly, annually or hourly wages do not include bonuses or overtime.

    Recording basis

    Reference period and frequency: The earnings information collected relates to the accident date. Data are collected all year long by the Central Statistical Service for Accident Insurance (SUVA). Yearly, monthly and hourly wages are those declared by the insured person and earned on the day of the accident.

    Source data collection programs

    Data collection: The statistic on gross salary index is based on administrative data provided by the national accident insurance : Service de Centralisation des Statistiques de l'Assurance-Accidents (SSAA-SSUV) The earnings information collected on the SSAA-SSUV forms relates to employees gross remuneration before any deductions are made for taxes and social contributions. On top of gross pay, the earnings include the 13th month wage and additional payment for inflation compensation. Are excluded all payments in kind, overtime, profit related pay and bonuses.

    Number of records: About 250,000 records are collected each year.

    Source data statistical techniques

  • Nature and sources of weights: The variable “Wages” (gross wage +13th salary + inflation compensation, excluding all payment in kind and bonuses) is used for weighting. The workers are grouped according to three variables which are: economic branches (NACE), sex, and full-time / part-time categories.  Each of these groups are given a proper weight according to the number of employees per group in 2004  (Source :Earnings survey 2004) combined to the average salary of the group in  2005 (Source: SUVA the national accident insurance ). These weights are held constant through a certain number of years until a revision is conducted.
  • Period of current index weights: Calendar year 2005.
  • Frequency of weight updates: Next base will be probably 2010.
  • Computation of lowest level indices: An elementary index is calculated for each group of workers (as described above) using the method of the ratio between the current year and the base year of the average salary of the group.
  • Aggregation formula: The indices are calculated according to the Laspeyres formula.
  • Aggregation structure: Aggregation are available for the breakdown by NACE two-digit numbers (27 economic branches or groups of branches) and by sex.
  • Linking of reweighted index to historical index: Historical series are constructed at the aggregate levels.
  • Reference period: 2005 = 100.

    • Revisions

    The data are final when first released and are not subject to revision.

    Notes

    For more information, please visit the IMF website at http://dsbb.imf.org/Pages/SDDS/CtyCtgBaseList.aspx?ctycode=CHE&catcode=WOE00.