Metal construction, rail and boilermaking
Swiss welders work in metal construction workshops making staircases and frames, for railway rolling-stock manufacturers in Thurgau or northern Vaud, or in industrial boilermaking that serves the Basel chemical industry and food processing.
ISO 9606-1 and 9606-2 qualifications
Job ads specify the standard: ISO 9606-1 for steels, ISO 9606-2 for aluminium. Each certificate covers one process, one position and one thickness range; the employer must regularly confirm that the welder is practising, otherwise the qualification has to be retaken.
EN 15085 and ISO 3834 in industry
Workshops welding railway vehicles apply EN 15085, and those supplying load-bearing structures follow ISO 3834. A welder familiar with these traceability requirements, including welding procedure cards and visual inspections, is in high demand in Yverdon and German-speaking Switzerland.
The CFC in metal construction
The benchmark qualification is the four-year CFC (Federal VET Diploma) in metal construction, or the one for industrial equipment construction. The two-year AFP for metal construction assistants suits more hands-on young people; see apprenticeships in Switzerland for the dual system.
A Swiss association for welding
The Schweizerischer Verein für Schweisstechnik, based in Basel, promotes joining techniques and workplace safety. Private training centres prepare candidates for qualification tests and for inspector certificates under ISO 9712, which are valued for visual inspection roles.
Two possible collective agreements
In the machine industry, the MEM industry collective agreement (CCT), negotiated by Swissmem, provides for regional minimum wages. In building metalwork, a separate CCT sets its own minimums and supplements; check which one applies to your company.
Welder pay and cantons with a legal minimum
With no official figures specific to welding, pay depends on the CCT, the processes you master, especially TIG on stainless steel, and the canton. In Geneva, no welder can be paid less than 24.59 francs gross an hour in 2026.
Temp work, the most common way in
Many welders start with temporary assignments lasting a few months, which often lead to a permanent post. The staff leasing CCT governs these contracts; our page on temporary work in Switzerland explains the rights of temp workers.
Fumes, radiation and SUVA prevention
According to SUVA, the Swiss accident insurer, welding fumes, especially from stainless steel, harm the lungs. The employer installs extraction at source and provides a ventilated mask, gloves and flame-retardant clothing; if in doubt, report it to SUVA or the cantonal labour inspectorate.
Cross-border welders in the Jura Arc
Workshops in Neuchâtel, Jura and northern Vaud hire French welders with a G permit. You must live in the border zone and return home every week; ISO qualifications obtained in France are accepted because the standard is international.
Outside the EU: possible but rare admission
For a welder from outside Europe, the employer must prove that nobody suitable was found in Switzerland or the EU. The 2026 quotas, 4500 B permits and 4000 L permits, target qualified profiles; a welder certified in rare processes can sometimes qualify.
Moving up to workshop manager or inspector
With experience, a welder becomes team leader, welding coordinator or quality inspector. The federal professional certificate in the metal sector opens workshop management, and industrial maintenance offers another route, such as industrial mechanic jobs.
Your route to working as a welder in Switzerland
- Make sure your ISO 9606 qualifications are current and sort each certificate by process, material and position.
- Ask SEFRI, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, for a level certificate for a foreign welding or boilermaking diploma if the employer wants it assessed.
- Prepare a Swiss CV with a photo, the processes you master, the standards you know, past projects and work certificates.
- Register with temp agencies specialising in industry, which often organise a practical welding test.
- Check your permit: EU or EFTA with a contract, G permit for cross-border workers, cantonal application for other nationalities.
- Read the contract to identify the applicable CCT, hourly wage, supplements and the equipment provided.
What shapes a welder's pay and costs
| Item | Indicative amount or benchmark | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Geneva minimum wage | 24.59 CHF gross an hour in 2026 | Legal floor for every job |
| Jura and Neuchâtel minimum | 21.40 and 21.35 CHF gross an hour in 2026 | Cantonal floor |
| Pay under the MEM or metal CCT | Regional CCT minimums | Region, category, length of service |
| ISO 9606 qualification | Exam fees set by the centre | Process, material, number of test pieces |
| SEFRI level certificate | 350 CHF | For a non-regulated foreign diploma |
| LAMal health insurance | Monthly premium by canton | Right of choice for cross-border workers |
Documents employers ask welders for
- Swiss CV with photo and processes mastered
- Valid ISO 9606 certificates
- CFC, AFP or foreign metalwork diploma
- Work certificates and workshop references
- ISO 9712 inspector certificate, if any
- Passport and residence permit or G permit
Mistakes that rule a welder out
- Presenting expired ISO 9606 certificates, or ones not confirmed by your last employer, which the workshop cannot use.
- Claiming TIG on stainless steel without recent practice, when the hiring test quickly shows your real level.
- Neglecting safety during the trial, for example welding without extraction, which disqualifies you in the eyes of workshop managers.
- Agreeing to work on a site without a permit, a practice the canton penalises and which can lead to an entry ban.
- Paying a foreign agency for a welding job in Switzerland; authorised Swiss agencies charge candidates nothing.
What welders ask before moving to Switzerland
Are my French ISO 9606 qualifications valid in Switzerland?
Yes, the standard is international and certificates issued by a recognised body in France are accepted. The Swiss employer must still confirm them regularly, and may ask for a new test if the certificate covers a different process or position.
Do I need German to work as a welder in Switzerland?
In French-speaking Switzerland, French is enough in most workshops. In Aargau, Zurich or Thurgau, where many industrial jobs are concentrated, basic German helps you understand drawings, safety instructions and conversations within the team.
Are welders covered by a collective agreement in Switzerland?
It depends on the company. Machine workshops that belong to Swissmem apply the MEM industry CCT, building metalwork has its own agreement, and temp workers fall under the staff leasing CCT. Ask which one appears in your contract.
Can a welder without a diploma find work?
Yes, if ISO 9606 qualifications and work certificates prove hands-on practice. Temp agencies often assess candidates with a workshop test. To progress towards team leadership, a CFC obtained through validation of prior learning helps a great deal.