Companies and jobs

SMEs make up over 99% of the companies and create two-thirds of the jobs in Switzerland. Here are the key statistics.

SMEs, i.e. companies with less than 250 employees, make up over 99% of commercial companies in Switzerland and create two-thirds of the jobs in the country. This is shown by the Structural Business Statistics (STATENT) of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Number of companies and jobs according to size

Commercial companies in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2022.

Company size	Companies	Employees
1 employee	325,713	325,713
2 employees	84,374	168,748
3 - 4 employees	81,298	275,406
5 - 9 employees	64,975	421,729
10 - 19 employees	33,389	445,634
20 - 49 employees	18,802	563,110
50 - 99 employees	6,037	415,361
100 - 199 employees	2,977	409,793
200 - 249 employees	605	134,361
SME Subtotal (1-249)	618,170	3,159,855
250 - 499 employees	1,011	343,285
500 - 999 employees	438	308,158
More than 1,000 employees	327	946,962
Total companies	619,946	4,758,260
Micro-enterprises (1-9)	556,360	1,191,596
Small enterprises (10-49)	52,191	1,008,744
Medium-sized enterprises (50-249)	9,619	959,515
Large enterprises (250+)	1,776	1,598,405
Total companies	619,946	4,758,260

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2024

Average number of employees per SME

The STATENT focuses on the three economic sectors:

The primary sector, which covers agriculture, forestry and fishing
The secondary sector, which covers extractive and manufacturing industries, production and distribution of electricity, gas and water, and construction
The tertiary sector, which covers services such as retail trade, wholesale trade, restaurants and even telecommunications

Here is the total number of SMEs (commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees) by sector in 2022:

	SME	Jobs
Primary sector	49,889	154,883
Secondary sector	91,382	766,730
Tertiary sector	476,899	2,238,242
Total	618,170	3,159,855

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2024

Here is the average number of employees per SME in 2022:

Primary sector	3.1
Secondary sector	8.4
Tertiary sector	4.7
Total	5.1

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2024

Number of SMEs and employees per region

Commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2022.

	SME	Employees
Lake Geneva Region	121,040	572,400
Espace Mittelland	122,850	637,025
Northwest Switzerland	72,588	386,745
Zurich	107,443	576,551
Eastern Switzerland	85,302	447,499
Central Switzerland	73,233	382,786
Ticino	35,714	156,849
Total	618,170	3,159,855

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2024

Number of SMEs and employees by legal structure

Commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2022.

	SME	Employees
Foundation	1,667	67,721
Sole proprietorship	326,537	561,231
Simple partnership	8,278	34,452
General partnership	5,511	20,627
Limited partnership	551	2,579
Limited stock partnership	6	232
Corporation (SA)	122,225	1,655,892
Limited liability company (SARL)	135,737	592,554
Cooperative company	3,168	44,214
Association	12,314	124,801
Others	2,176	55,552
Total	618,170	3,159,855