Italy’s unemployment rate rose to 6.3% in September 2026, the highest level since May 2025 and slightly above market expectations of 6.2%. The number of unemployed people increased by 4,000, or 0.3%, over the month. The inactivity rate for people aged 15 to 64 remained unchanged at 32.7%.
The number of employed people was 24.328 million, essentially stable compared with August, keeping the employment rate at 63%. Growth in temporary positions offset declines in permanent jobs, while self-employment was broadly unchanged. Youth unemployment declined to 19.9%, down 0.4 percentage points from the previous month.
On an annual basis, employment increased by 198,000 in September 2026, equivalent to growth of 0.8% compared with September 2025. Permanent employees rose by 71,000, temporary workers by 89,000, and self-employed workers by 38,000. However, quarterly data showed a softening in the labor market: in the third quarter of 2026, employment fell by 13,000, while the number of jobseekers increased by 108,000 compared with the previous quarter.
