Italy’s unemployment rate inched up to 5.3% in February 2026 from an upwardly revised 5.2% in January, which had marked the lowest level on record. The latest reading was in line with market expectations. The number of unemployed increased by 36 thousand from the previous month, reaching 1.36 million.
At the same time, the employment rate slipped to 62.4% from 62.6%, as the number of employed persons declined by 29 thousand to 24.15 million. The decrease affected both permanent and temporary employees, while the number of self-employed workers rose. Despite the improvement in recent years, Italy’s employment rate remained among the lowest in the euro area.
By contrast, youth unemployment — covering jobseekers aged 15 to 24 — fell to a record low of 17.6% in February, down from 18.5% in January. The inactivity rate was unchanged at 33.9%.
