The watch industry flourishes, as do the jobs

"In one year, the watch industry has hired 600 new employees in the Lake Geneva region." The title of an article in the "Tribune de Genève" summarizes well the growth being experienced in this sector. Only in 2013, some 1,500 more jobs were created than the previous year, including 400 positions in the canton of Vaud and 200 in Geneva. Despite this significant increase, Neuchâtel remains in the lead with 15,500 employees in the watch industry.

Will Neuchâtel keep the first place after the introduction of a minimum wage at 3,700 francs in watchmaking companies in 2015? This remains to be confirmed. The threshold approved in the canton of Jura will be lower - it will increase to 3,400 francs per month for unskilled workers - certainly. But the limitation of immigration passed on February 9 2014 could complicate the recruitment of border dwellers. "Border dwellers are not immigrants, said the president of the Employers' Federation of the Swiss watch industry in the Geneva newspaper. We absolutely have to find a separate solution for border residents."

Swatch plans to hire hundreds of French specialists in Boncourt. The giant of the watchmaking industry is indeed about to build four plants with 400 people each in the border Swiss town located at the tip of the Jura, according to the website Traces Ecrites. Things are also accelerating on the side of Audemars Piguet as well. The luxury watch manufacturer invested no less than 20 million in a new plant in Meyrin, where dozens of jobs will be created.