With the current panorama for young people in Spain, with temporary jobs, low wages, unaffordable rents and an uncertain horizon, more and more people decide to pack their bags and try their luck abroad. One of the favorite destinations is Switzerlandwhere salaries and job stability are much higher than in our country. For many, it is an opportunity that seems unattainable in Spain.
This is the case of Fernando, a 23-year-old Spanish man who works in the pharmaceutical industry and has told on his social networks how much he earns per month since moving to the Alpine country.
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Young Spaniards abroad
In recent years, thousands of qualified young people have chosen emigrate in search of better economic prospects and professionals. The lack of stable employment and low salaries are the main reasons that explain this exodus.
The phenomenon especially affects profiles with university education, who find not only higher salaries, but also greater options for growth and stability. This ‘talent drain’ worries expertswhich warn of the impact it may have on the economic future of Spain.
But it’s not all about money. Many young people also look abroad for a more independent life and a work environment with better conditions. Working abroad has become, for many, a way to gain experience and build a solid career.
According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), between 2020 and 2025 some 61,000 young Spaniards would have emigrated. Although it is not a mass exodus, the number reflects an increasingly widespread reality.
Fernando is one of those young people and on his social media profile (@TheFer_Cars), he shared a video in which he explains how much he earns and how much he has left per month after taxes.
“How much do I earn at 23 years old here in Switzerland? I work in the pharmaceutical industry in Bern and I’m going to show my latest paycheck,” he says at the beginning of the video. His gross salary is 7,600 Swiss francs, approximately 7,868 euros, and after applying the taxes and deductions of the canton of Aargau, where he resides, he is left with between 5,600 and 5,700 net francs, approximately 5,900 euros. “Do you think it’s a lot or a little at 23 years old?” the young man asks his followers.
The difference with Spain is abysmal. In the same sectora young worker earns around 2,500 euros gross, and the average salary between 20 and 24 years old is barely around 1,000 euros per month.
Therefore, it is not surprising that many young people see countries like Switzerland as an opportunity to improve their standard of living. Fernando is just one of the thousands who each year decide to leave in search of what they cannot find in Spain at the moment: a decent salary and stability.