The Swiss interpreting market
The Swiss interpreting market is multifaceted, to an extent found almost nowhere else. One reason for this is the structure of the Swiss economy with its many different specialisms spanning everything from systems engineering and pharmaceuticals to private banking, watchmaking and auditing.
As Switzerland has three major national languages there is a potential demand for interpreting at nearly all levels within companies, financial institutions, public administrations, associations and societies.
Furthermore, clients come from a wide range of backgrounds. In addition to demand from corporate and political bodies and organizations such as associations and foundations – known to interpreters as the “private market”, there is also a sizeable market in the international organizations. Nineteen UN organizations are based in Geneva, and a further eighteen have offices there.
This situation explains the relatively high number of AIIC interpreters in Switzerland, with more than 270 interpreters for a total population of 8.7 million. That is nearly ten times as many as in Germany, where there are around 300 AIIC interpreters for a population of 83 million.
Within AIIC, Geneva has the third-highest number of interpreters at over 240, behind Paris and Brussels.