The unemployment rate in Italy ticked down to 5.0% in May 2026 from 5.1% in April, slightly below market expectations of 5.1%.
This was the lowest level since the current data series began in 2004, as the number of unemployed individuals decreased by 22 thousand month-on-month to 1.28 million, which affected men, women, fixed-term employees, and all age groups except those aged 50 and over.
The employment rate edged down to 63.0% from a record high of 63.1%, with the number of employed persons dropping by 22 thousand to 24.34 million.
Italy’s employment rate remained among the lowest in the eurozone.
The inactivity rate rose to 33.6% from a six-month low of 33.45%.
Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate, measuring jobseekers between 15 and 24 years old, declined to a new record low of 15.1% in May from 16.4% in April.