Switzerland ranks 2nd in the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index

Switzerland ranks 2nd in the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, reaffirming its long-standing strength as a global hub for talent and innovation.

Switzerland has secured second place in the newly released 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI), published by INSEAD in partnership with the Portulans Institute. After leading the ranking for an exceptional ten consecutive years, Switzerland remains one of the strongest global performers across all dimensions of talent attraction, development and retention.

This year’s edition marks Singapore’s rise to the top position, driven by major gains in adaptability, digital readiness and skills development. Yet the report emphasizes that Switzerland continues to set international benchmarks in key pillars such as education quality, research excellence, labour market efficiency, and talent retention, areas where the country consistently outperforms almost all other economies.

The 2025 report, titled “Navigating an Era of Disruption,” examines how countries are adapting to technological change, geopolitical fragmentation and shifting labour markets. Switzerland maintains its leadership position in the “Enable” and “Retain” pillars, reflecting its strong institutional framework, political stability, infrastructure and high quality of life, all of which continue to attract global talent and support long-term innovation.

The report also highlights that eight of today’s top ten talent economies were already in the top ten a decade ago, underscoring the durability of high-performing ecosystems such as Switzerland’s. While global competition for talent is intensifying, Switzerland’s continued presence at the top of the ranking confirms the strength of its education system, research institutions, vocational training model and innovation environment.

Switzerland’s strong performance across global rankings

Switzerland’s second-place ranking in the 2025 GTCI is part of a broader pattern of excellence across major international benchmarks. The country consistently appears at or near the top of global indices measuring competitiveness, innovation, education and quality of life, reinforcing the stability and attractiveness of its talent ecosystem.

In innovation, Switzerland has maintained the number one position in WIPO’s Global Innovation Index for over a decade, reflecting a research landscape characterized by high R&D investment, strong public–private collaboration and world-class academic institutions such as EPFL, ETH Zurich and the University of Geneva. The European Innovation Scoreboard similarly ranks Switzerland as Europe’s top innovation performer.

In competitiveness, the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking and the IMD World Talent Ranking place Switzerland among the global leaders thanks to its efficient governance, advanced infrastructure, highly skilled workforce and resilient economic fundamentals. These indicators underscore the country’s long-term capacity to adapt to technological change and maintain a favourable business environment.

Switzerland also performs strongly in education-related rankings. Its universities and specialized institutions are regularly recognized for academic excellence and research impact, while its dual vocational training system remains a global reference for equipping young people with industry-relevant skills. These strengths translate into a talent pipeline that supports both high-tech sectors and traditional industries.

Beyond talent and innovation metrics, Switzerland’s quality of life indicators remain among the highest in the world. Rankings from the World Economic Forum and OECD regularly highlight the country’s strong environmental performance, healthcare quality, safety, and overall well-being.

Taken together, these rankings illustrate the breadth and resilience of Switzerland’s economic and innovation ecosystem. The country’s continued success in multiple global benchmarks reinforces its position as a strategic destination for international companies seeking a stable, talent-rich and future-ready environment.