Frequently Asked Questions

We provide specialised recruitment services tailored to the Swiss market, including:

• Headhunting & Talent Acquisition: targeted search and selection of highly qualified professionals for permanent positions, with a strong focus on specialised and senior roles.
• Temporary Staffing: provision of skilled interim professionals to support short-term needs, projects, or workload peaks, in full compliance with Swiss regulations.
• Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO): end-to-end or partial management of your recruitment activities, acting as an extension of your internal HR function.

Our approach is fully customised, ensuring alignment with your technical requirements, organisational culture, and long-term hiring objectives.

mPlusOne differentiates itself through a specialized and tailored approach, combining headhunting expertise with a strong focus on proactive sourcing, efficiency, and confidentiality, particularly for highly skilled and specialized roles.

Smaller companies can leverage several distinct advantages:

• Emphasize agility and impact: Highlight the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and influence decisions more quickly
• Offer flexible work models: Hybrid arrangements, typically with two to three days in the office, are highly valued by candidates
• Promote a purpose-driven culture: Candidates increasingly prioritize trust, credibility, and meaningful work over brand recognition
• Streamline hiring processes: Limit interview stages to three and provide feedback within 48 to 72 hours to remain competitive
• Showcase technical expertise: Share technical blogs, case studies, and project outcomes to demonstrate depth and maturity

Ultimately, employer branding now matters more than company size, with candidates placing greater value on credibility and trust than on well-established or traditional brand names.

Hiring non-EU talent in Switzerland is a structured process that requires careful planning, but it is entirely manageable with the right approach:

• Employer sponsorship: The hiring company must sponsor the candidate and apply for a Swiss work permit (typically a B permit).
• Labour market test: Employers must demonstrate that no suitable Swiss or EU/EFTA candidate is available, usually by advertising the role over a defined period.
• Approval timeline: Permit processing typically takes 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the case and canton.
• Quota system: Permits for non-EU nationals are subject to annual federal quotas, which can impact availability.
• Cantonal variation: Requirements and interpretation can differ by canton, with some authorities adopt a more flexible approach than others.

Practical insight:
While the administrative process can appear complex, especially for SMEs, it is often outweighed by the need for highly specialised semiconductor talent. With proper preparation and expert guidance, companies can successfully navigate the process and secure critical skills.

Swiss employers expect a complete and professional application package. Key recommendations include:

• CV Format: PDF file, maximum four pages
• Photo: A recent professional photo is still common practice in Switzerland
• Content: Briefly describe all your work experience, emphasizing experience relevant to the position
• Personal touch: Show your personality and interests — Swiss employers value cultural fit
• Language: Submit your CV in English, and if the role requires German or French, consider a version in that language as well
• Transcripts: If you are a recent graduate, include your university transcripts and awards

While English is often the technical language of choice, German or French is highly valued and often required. For roles in the German-speaking part (e.g., Zurich, Bern, Basel), a very good command of German (at least B2 level) is frequently a mandatory requirement alongside fluent English . In the French-speaking part (e.g., Neuchâtel), a very good level of French is required. If languages are required they will be clearly stated in the job ad.

The process depends on your nationality. For EU/EFTA nationals, the process is more straightforward with no quotas, and a permit typically takes 4-6 weeks to process . For non-EU nationals, the process is more complex. An employer must sponsor a B permit, which is subject to annual quotas. The process takes 6-12 weeks and requires demonstrating the role cannot be filled by a Swiss or EU candidate.  

Based on current market dynamics, several strategies stand out:

• Expand your geographic search: Looking beyond Switzerland, particularly across Europe, allows access to a broader and more diverse talent pool
• Leverage contract specialists: Combining permanent hires with project-based contractors enables faster scaling while maintaining cost flexibility
• Relax language requirements where possible: Prioritizing English for technical roles can significantly widen the candidate pool
• Partner with specialist recruiters: Agencies with semiconductor expertise can access niche talent that is often not visible on the open market
• Invest in employer branding: Showcasing your technology, culture, and impact helps attract high-quality passive candidates
• Be transparent: Clearly communicating compensation, career progression, and hybrid work expectations builds trust and reduces candidate drop-off

Demand is strong and continues to grow:

• Vacancy growth: Semiconductor-related job openings increased by 340 to 380 percent between 2020 and 2023
• Most in-demand roles: Design engineers, process specialists, verification engineers, and photonic integrated circuit specialists
• Critical bottleneck: The shortage of qualified talent is considered the main constraint on the development of Switzerland’s semiconductor ecosystem, particularly in emerging fields such as photonic integrated circuits

Switzerland’s semiconductor industry is highly active across development, integration, and industrialization, with more than 60 percent of companies operating in these areas and 80 percent considering themselves global leaders.

The semiconductor industry has strong opportunities across Switzerland, but they are regionally specialized. In the German-speaking part of the country—especially Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Zug—many companies focus on semiconductor design, verification, and systems engineering. In the French-speaking region, particularly Neuchâtel and the Lake Geneva area, the industry is more centered on microtechnology and MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems). Language skills are an important factor when targeting opportunities: German is mainly required in the north and east, while French is more relevant in the west and southwest.

Employers are looking for a mix of hard and soft skills. Key technical skills include experience with MEMS Process Engineering, III-V semiconductor laser designs , parametic testing, wafer level reliability (WLR), and programming languages like Python, C, and Labview . On the soft skills side, being a team player, having strong analytical skills, and being solution-oriented are highly valued . A completed university degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in fields like physics, microtechnology, or electrical engineering is the standard prerequisite, given Switzerlands high level of educational establishments, doctorates are often a very strong addition.

SwissChips is a CHF 49.4 million national program (2024-2026) led by ETH Zurich, EPFL, and CSEM to boost semiconductor research and talent development . For employers, this means:

• Expanding talent pipeline: The initiative includes education and training components to cultivate a skilled workforce in IC design and microelectronics
• Industry collaboration opportunities: SwissChips integrates industry stakeholders from the outset to align academic research with practical needs
• Access to innovation: The program has already fabricated over 100 chips, creating potential for technology transfer and collaboration
• Long-term workforce development: Outreach programs targeting high school students aim to spark early interest in semiconductor careers

The initiative addresses the gap created by Switzerland’s exclusion from Horizon Europe and the EU Chips Act, ensuring continued domestic capability development.

The primary challenges include:

• Small local candidate pools: Switzerland has a limited domestic talent base for highly specialized semiconductor roles
• Intense competition: Large multinational firms dominate the talent landscape, making it difficult for smaller companies to attract top-tier professionals
• Stringent immigration laws: Hiring non-EU nationals requires navigating complex work permit processes with annual quotas
• Language requirements: The need for German or French proficiency further narrows an already limited candidate pool
• High personnel costs: The strong Swiss Franc and competitive compensation expectations put pressure on budgets

A growing number of companies are relaxing their language requirements to access broader talent pools.