Employment needs in Italy 2024-2028: the role of migrant workers

The new report from the Excelsior Information System, entitled “Forecasts of Employment and Professional Needs in Italy in the Medium Term (2024-2028),” offers a detailed overview of labour market requirements in the coming years. For the first time, the report specifically focuses on migrant workers. In the so-called positive scenario, it is estimated that the demand for migrant workers will reach approximately 640,000 units over the 2024-2028 period, accounting for more than one-fifth of the total estimated demand.

The sectoral analysis highlights that approximately 55% of the demand will come from the services sector, totaling over 350,000 workers. The industrial sector, on the other hand, will absorb around 256,000 workers (40% of the total), while agriculture will require just over 32,000 workers, accounting for 5%.

At the level of production chains, the demand for migrant workers will be particularly high in the following sectors:

• Fashion: 45.7% of the required workforce
• Mobility and logistics: 33%
• Agribusiness: 32.1%
• Wood and furniture: 29.9%
• Construction and infrastructure: 29.4%

The analysis by the Excelsior Information System highlights that the contribution of immigrant workers will be essential to meeting Italy’s employment needs in the coming years, especially in the industrial, construction, and agri-food sectors. However, the distribution of demand will be heavily concentrated in the Central-Northern regions, leaving the South with only a marginal share of the demand for foreign labour.