🇨🇭 Young Professionals Programme in Switzerland 🌐 WTO Young Professionals Programme 2027 — CHF 4,000/month at the World Trade Organization 💼

If you’re under 32, working in international trade or a related field, and from a country with low or no representation in the WTO Secretariat — this is one of the most prestigious entry points into global trade governance that exists. The WTO Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is a one-year, full-time placement at the World Trade Organization Secretariat in Geneva, offering hands-on experience across the full breadth of WTO work with a monthly salary of CHF 4,000.

🏛️ About the Programme

The WTO Young Professionals Programme is designed to widen the pool of qualified professionals from underrepresented WTO Member countries, with the ultimate goal of broadening their representation in the WTO and other regional and international organisations. Selected candidates are placed in a specific Division of the WTO Secretariat based on organisational needs and the candidate’s stated areas of interest.

This is a one-year programme with no possibility of extension.

💶 Compensation

💰 Monthly salary: CHF 4,000

📍 Based at WTO Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland

📋 Areas of Work

Each Young Professional may express interest in up to three areas of WTO work, listed in order of preference. Areas include:

🌾 Agriculture

📡 Communications and External Relations

💻 Digital Trade

⚖️ Dispute Settlement

📊 Economic Research and Statistics

🐟 Fisheries Subsidies

🛒 Government Procurement

💡 Intellectual Property Rights

🏪 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)

🚧 Market Access — tariffs and non-tariff barriers

🌍 Trade and Development

🌱 Trade and Environment / Climate Change

🚢 Trade Facilitation

💳 Trade Finance

♀️ Trade and Gender

🏦 Trade in Services and Investment

📈 Trade Policy Analysis

🔧 Trade-Related Technical Assistance

🛡️ Trade Remedies — anti-dumping and countervailing duties

…and more, including Accessions, Competition Policy, Council and Trade Negotiations, Investment Facilitation for Development, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and Technical Barriers to Trade.

✅ Required Qualifications

🎓 Education

Advanced university degree in economics, econometrics, international relations, law, environmental studies, or other trade-related subjects relevant to WTO work — obtained by the time of application.

🧠 Knowledge & Skills

🌐 General knowledge of the work of the WTO

🔬 Technical knowledge in one or more of the areas of work listed above

✍️ Good drafting skills in English — ability to draft in French and/or Spanish is an advantage

🤝 Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a multicultural environment

💡 Demonstrated strong interest in international trade and the multilateral trading system

💼 Work Experience

Minimum 2 years of professional experience relevant to the work of the WTO

🗣️ Languages

Fluency in English — a good working knowledge of French or Spanish is an advantage

🌍 Eligible Countries

Priority is given to nationals of WTO Members with low or no professional representation in the Secretariat. Countries marked with an asterisk (*) receive highest priority as they have no representation and have not participated in previous YPP cohorts.

🇦🇱 Albania 🇦🇴 Angola 🇦🇲 Armenia 🇧🇭 Bahrain 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 🇧🇧 Barbados 🇧🇿 Belize 🇧🇯 Benin* 🇧🇴 Bolivia* 🇧🇼 Botswana 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam* 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 🇧🇮 Burundi 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde* 🇰🇭 Cambodia 🇨🇱 Chile 🇰🇲 Comoros* 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇾 Cyprus 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇨🇩 DR Congo* 🇩🇯 Djibouti* 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 🇸🇻 El Salvador 🇸🇿 Eswatini 🇫🇯 Fiji 🇬🇦 Gabon* 🇬🇲 Gambia 🇬🇪 Georgia 🇬🇩 Grenada 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇬🇾 Guyana 🇭🇹 Haiti 🇭🇳 Honduras 🇭🇰 Hong Kong China 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇩 Indonesia 🇮🇱 Israel 🇯🇲 Jamaica 🇯🇴 Jordan 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 🇰🇼 Kuwait* 🇰🇬 Kyrgyz Republic* 🇱🇦 Lao PDR* 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇸 Lesotho 🇱🇷 Liberia 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇲🇴 Macao China 🇲🇬 Madagascar 🇲🇼 Malawi 🇲🇾 Malaysia 🇲🇻 Maldives 🇲🇱 Mali 🇲🇹 Malta 🇲🇷 Mauritania 🇲🇺 Mauritius 🇲🇩 Moldova 🇲🇳 Mongolia 🇲🇪 Montenegro 🇲🇦 Morocco 🇲🇿 Mozambique 🇲🇲 Myanmar* 🇳🇦 Namibia 🇳🇵 Nepal 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 🇳🇪 Niger* 🇳🇬 Nigeria 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇴🇲 Oman 🇵🇰 Pakistan 🇵🇦 Panama 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea 🇵🇾 Paraguay 🇶🇦 Qatar* 🇷🇼 Rwanda 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis* 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 🇼🇸 Samoa* 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 🇸🇳 Senegal 🇸🇨 Seychelles 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone* 🇸🇬 Singapore 🇸🇰 Slovak Republic 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands* 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 🇸🇷 Suriname* 🇹🇼 Chinese Taipei 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 🇹🇿 Tanzania 🇹🇭 Thailand 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste* 🇹🇬 Togo 🇹🇴 Tonga* 🇺🇬 Uganda 🇺🇦 Ukraine 🇦🇪 UAE* 🇺🇾 Uruguay 🇻🇺 Vanuatu* 🇻🇳 Viet Nam 🇾🇪 Yemen* 🇿🇲 Zambia 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

⚠️ Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

📋 How to Apply

Applications must be submitted in English and must include:

📝 A completed online application

✉️ A cover letter of motivation indicating up to three areas of work in order of preference — applications without a cover letter will not be considered

⚠️ Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted under any circumstances.

📅 Key Dates

🗓️ Application deadline: 6 May 2026

🎓 Programme year: 2027

📍 WTO Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland

⏰ Deadline

6 May 2026

🔗 Link

https://wto.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/CWR/Young-Professionals_JR104137