Vaud launches new Talent Hub to strengthen its workforce attraction and retention

Vaud has launched Vaud Talent Hub, a new platform designed to attract, integrate and retain skilled professionals as the canton addresses growing labor shortages.

The canton of Vaud and the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CVCI) have launched Vaud Talent Hub, a new digital platform designed to help skilled professionals settle, work and build long-term careers in the region. The initiative forms part of the cantonal action plan “Labor Shortage, Employability, Integration 2025–2027,” which includes 16 measures aimed at mitigating workforce gaps and improving access to qualified talent.

According to economiesuisse, Switzerland could face a deficit of 431,000 workers by 2040. In Vaud alone, up to 50,000 full-time positions risk remaining unfilled within the next decade. Against this backdrop, the ability to attract and retain graduates, highly skilled professionals, international talent and returning Swiss citizens is increasingly seen as a strategic factor for competitiveness.

Vaud Talent Hub provides practical, centralized information on employment opportunities, work permits, entrepreneurship, administrative procedures and relocation. The platform also supports social and cultural integration, helping new arrivals settle with their families and navigate life in the canton. A special focus is placed on graduates of Vaud’s higher education institutions, qualified international professionals already in Switzerland and members of the Swiss diaspora.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that the talent trained in the canton can stay, grow and build their future here,” said Isabelle Moret, State Councillor responsible for Economy, Innovation and Employment. “Vaud Talent Hub will facilitate their integration while giving companies better visibility on available skills.”

In addition to serving individuals, the platform includes a dedicated section for employers, offering guidance on recruitment, onboarding and retention. Previously dispersed resources are now consolidated in a single interface. An integrated chatbot provides answers based on official cantonal and federal sources, complemented by curated external information.

“The platform aims to strengthen ties between businesses and alumni networks across the canton, which is essential for maintaining economic attractiveness,” noted Raphaël Conz, Director of SPEI.

Beyond its digital tools, Vaud Talent Hub includes an event program featuring information sessions for graduates, networking activities for international job seekers and roundtables bringing together public authorities, academic institutions and the private sector.

Supported by the canton through the Innovation Support Fund, the initiative reinforces Vaud’s long-term strategy to secure skilled labor, foster employability and maintain the vitality of its labor market.