Italy has no statutory minimum wage – pay is set in national collective agreements (CCNL), which often add a 13th and 14th monthly salary. Employers say they struggle to find almost half of the staff they look for – most of all skilled workers and technicians – while tourism and trade hire the most. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply and what to do in your first weeks.
Italy is a country of 58.9 million people where unemployment has fallen fast: from 8.1% in 2022 to 6.1% in 2025 – now only just above the EU average of 6.0%.
Other numbers are less rosy. The employment rate is 67.6% of people aged 20–64, well below the EU average of 76.1%, and youth unemployment is 20.6% among people aged 15–24 (EU: 15.2%). The north has much lower unemployment than the south.
As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen you do not need a work permit – you can move, look for a job and work on the same terms as Italians. The national job platforms and most procedures are in Italian, so the language is a big advantage.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
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