Italy’s unemployment rate rose to 5.7% in June 2026, up from a revised 5.3% in May and above market forecasts of 5.1%. This was the highest level since November 2025, as the number of unemployed increased by 97 thousand from the previous month to a seven-month peak of 1.46 million.
The employment rate was unchanged at 62.9%, with the number of employed edging up by 1 thousand to 24.31 million. By contract type, temporary employees grew by 91 thousand month-on-month, while permanent workers fell by 46 thousand and the self-employed declined by 44 thousand.
Youth unemployment, referring to jobseekers aged 15 to 24, rose to 18.4% in June from a record low of 16.9% in May. The inactivity rate slipped to 33.2% from 33.5%.
