The Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy Rey is asking companies to give priority in hiring to Swiss residents. She acknowledged that this was a radical change in tone from her, citing the economic crisis and rising unemployment.

Last week, the head of the Labor Division at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) also urged companies to hire more workers from within Switzerland. He said growth in immigration continues despite rising unemployment.

At the end of last month, nearly 159,000 people were unemployed in the country, a total of four percent of the workforce.