Overview
- In 2024, people with an immigration history accounted for 60% of employees in welding and joining technology, and 54% in both food manufacturing and among cooks, compared with 26% across the overall economy.
- Other shortage occupations with high shares included scaffolding (48%), bus and tram drivers (47%), meat processing (46%) and gastronomy service staff (45%).
- Entire industries show strong reliance, with 54% of dependent employees in gastronomy and 50% in building maintenance and cleaning having an immigration history.
- Underrepresentation persists in public and professional roles, including police (7%), public administration and social insurance (9% each), and school teaching (9% primary, 12% secondary).
- The findings come from first results of the 2024 Microcensus, which defines ‘immigration history’ as the person or both parents having immigrated since 1950, and are based on self-reports excluding people in communal accommodations; the WSI says the figures underscore economic dependence and access gaps.