Tooling, stamping dies and movement parts
A micromechanic produces stamping dies, gauges and fixtures, or directly machines movement plates, bridges and wheels. In a Vallée de Joux manufacture, the work is done to a hundredth of a millimetre, sometimes to the micron, under constant inspection.
The micromechanic CFC and its technical schools
The micromechanic CFC is prepared in a company or full time at a technical school: CFPT in Geneva, the Biel Technical Lycée, ceff Industrie in Saint-Imier, CPNE in Le Locle, CEJEF in Porrentruy or the Vallée de Joux Technical School.
From Le Locle to Grenchen, a concentrated job market
Vacancies cluster between Geneva, the Vallée de Joux, Le Locle, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Saint-Imier, Biel and Grenchen. The Swiss watch industry sits alongside case, dial and hand subcontractors that also recruit CNC setters in these towns.
Bar turning, EDM and numerical control
Job ads often mention bar turning on automatic lathes, a speciality of the Moutier area, wire EDM and programming of CNC machining centres. Stating precisely which numerical controls you master, such as Fanuc or Heidenhain, makes your application stand out.
Dental implants and medical instruments
Medtech employs many micromechanics to machine titanium screws, implants and instruments under ISO 13485 standards. Companies in Neuchâtel, the Bernese Jura and Solothurn demand rigorous traceability, and experience working in a clean room is a real advantage.
Two collective agreements depending on the employer
Watch manufactures and suppliers generally apply the watch industry collective agreement, while machinery and mechanical engineering firms often fall under the MEM industry agreement. Minimum wages, the 13th monthly salary and working hours differ between these texts.
What drives a micromechanic's salary
Pay depends on the collective agreement, the canton, the size of the company and the level of responsibility: operator, setter or programmer. Neuchâtel and Jura also impose a cantonal minimum wage of around 21 francs per hour in 2026.
Cross-border workers from the Doubs and Franche-Comté
A large share of micromechanics in the Jura Arc live in France, between Morteau, Pontarlier and Besançon, and cross the border every day. Arrangements linked to cross-border worker status, including tax and health insurance, should be planned before signing.
French diplomas in bar turning or machining
A French vocational bac in machining or a BTS in product manufacturing process design is not a regulated title in Switzerland. Employers mainly judge practical skills; a SEFRI level certificate, costing 350 francs, can make comparison with the CFC easier.
Quality control and measuring instruments
Watch workshops check every batch with profile projectors, coordinate measuring machines and dial gauges. Reading a drawing with geometric tolerances and completing inspection reports is expected from day one, especially at Bernese and Neuchâtel movement suppliers.
Moving on to technician HF or engineer UAS
After a few years, a micromechanic can aim for a technician HF diploma in mechanical engineering, or a bachelor in microtechnology from HE-Arc university of applied sciences. Others become workshop managers or watch repairers after further training.
Temping and the watch industry order book
The watch industry tracks exports, and hiring slows when demand falls. Many companies in Biel or La Chaux-de-Fonds then turn to temporary agencies, which apply the collective agreement for staff leasing to the workers they place.
Steps to land a micromechanics job
- Clarify your status: EU national with a B or L permit, cross-border commuter with a G permit, or non-EU national subject to federal quotas.
- Gather your CFC, vocational bac or training certificates, and request a SEFRI level certificate if needed.
- Write a Swiss-format CV with a photo, CNC machines, numerical controls, tolerances achieved and sectors served.
- Attach employment references describing precisely the parts you machined and your responsibilities.
- Target manufactures, bar turning firms and medtech makers in the Jura Arc, plus temporary agencies specialising in industry.
- Prepare for a practical workshop trial, common before hiring, by revising drawing reading and machine setting.
Minimum wage and costs for a micromechanic
| Item | Indicative amount 2026 | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Neuchâtel cantonal minimum wage | 21,35 CHF gross per hour | Applies if the collective agreement provides less |
| Jura cantonal minimum wage | 21,40 CHF gross per hour | Indicative, indexed every year |
| Salary under the watch or MEM agreement | Variable | Region, qualification and seniority |
| SEFRI level certificate | 350 CHF | For an unregulated foreign diploma |
| LAMal health insurance | Monthly premium by canton | Cross-border workers: right of option to examine |
| Housing costs | Lower in Jura than in Geneva | Rents depend on the town |
Application pack for a micromechanics workshop
- CV with photo, machine park and numerical controls mastered
- Micromechanic CFC or equivalent foreign diploma
- SEFRI level certificate if the diploma is foreign
- Employment references from previous employers
- Samples of parts made or photos of your work
- Identity document and work permit or G permit application
Mistakes to avoid in a micromechanic application
- Describing your experience vaguely, without stating machines, materials machined, tolerances held or types of watch or medical parts.
- Ignoring the collective agreement the company applies, watch industry or MEM, and accepting pay below the agreed minimum.
- Starting work in Switzerland before the employer has declared or applied for the G permit, an offence punished by cantonal authorities.
- Neglecting the practical trial, when many workshops judge applicants on a setting or a part made on site.
- Applying only in Geneva and forgetting Biel, Saint-Imier or Le Sentier, where most jobs in the sector are located.
Common questions from micromechanics
What is the difference between a micromechanic and a polymechanic in Switzerland?
A polymechanic CFC works on mechanical parts of all sizes for the machinery industry. A micromechanic specialises in small parts and precision tooling, mainly for watchmaking and medtech. Both trades share CNC machining and the same industrial areas.
Can a French CNC operator be hired as a micromechanic?
Yes, if their experience involves precision parts. Workshops in the Jura Arc often recruit French operators and setters, sometimes first through a temporary agency. The exact job title then depends on the collective agreement and the tasks assigned.
Do you need German to work in Biel or Grenchen?
Biel is bilingual and many workshops operate in French, but Grenchen, in the canton of Solothurn, is German-speaking. Some German makes it easier to deal with technical departments, read annotated drawings and progress to supervisory posts.
Is shift work common in micromechanics?
In bar turning and series machining, two or three shift patterns are common to keep machines running profitably. Compensation for night work, in time or pay, stems from the Labour Act and the collective agreement applied by the employer.