There were around 8,500 more unemployed in Switzerland in August 2015 compared to the same time last year. Across the whole of Switzerland the rate was 3.2%, 0.2% higher than at the same point in 2014. Large regional differences persist. Geneva and Neuchâtel had the highest rates of 5.5% and 5.4%, creeping up 0.1% and 0.2% respectively over the year. Vaud’s unemployment rate was up 0.2%, compared to 2014, at 4.9%. These three cantons had the highest rates in Switzerland.
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Unemployment across the Röstigraben in German-speaking Switzerland continued to be significantly lower. The canton of Uri managed a 0.1% improvement over the year registering 0.7% unemployment in August. Zurich at 3.4% was close to the national average of 3.2%. Basel city was at 3.7% and Bern at 2.5%. Swiss nationals (3.0%) fared better than foreigners (6.3%). And insurance was the the sector with the lowest unemployment (1.4%), while the hotel and restaurant sector (7.8%) fared the worst. Agriculture also had a low unemployment rate of 1.5%, which might partly explain why some more rural cantons such as Uri (0.7%), Obwalden (0.7%) and Graubünden (1.3%) managed to have such low rates.
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