Working in Italy as an Expat: Where the Jobs Are, and Why Pay Often Lags

Go through any Italian expat forum and you’ll find the usual expat quip: “There are no jobs in Italy!” (to be honest, it’s mostly people who still have to make the move who write this). Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, anyone seriously considering working in Italy should know that opportunities are far more abundant than the myth suggests. With unemployment currently at all-time lows, Italy is projected to need between 3.3 and 3.7 million workers from 2025 to 2029, according to medium-term labour forecasts (source: Unioncamere Excelsior report 2025).

As is to be expected with an ageing population, replacement hiring dominates: roughly 85% of total openings will be to replace existing workers, with the remainder coming from net employment growth. In other words, even if economic growth is modest, substantial hiring will occur due to Italy’s ageing workforce driving retirements.

So where, exactly, will these millions of hires come from? Il private sector accounts for the majority of positions (about 58% of the forecasted demand), with the public sector contributing around 22%, and the rest (roughly 20%) being self-employed or independent roles. 

Italy isn’t short on jobs, but it suffers from mismatches. The divides are between north and south, between what employers need and the skills available, and between jobs Italians pursue versus those filled by immigrants. For expats, the question isn’t “are there jobs?” but rather which jobs, dove, e for whom.

Jobs With The Most Openings in Italy

So, in which Italian sectors are there job openings? Table 1 below dispels the “no jobs” mito by listing the top in-demand jobs by sheer volume of expected hires. These are the roles Italian companies anticipate hiring for the most, according to Unioncamere’s forecast:

Table 1 – Most Requested Jobs in Italy

A few takeaways:

● Most hiring is non in glamorous or “elite” professional roles, it’s in everyday sectors.

● Services, logistics, agriculture, and construction dominate these openings, far more than, say, finance or creative jobs.

● A large share of these jobs is already done by foreign workers. Often it’s because locals prefer not to do them (due to the working conditions or status), creating opportunities for newcomers. In other words, if you’re willing to do work that Italians are shunning, you can find plenty of openings.

Jobs Where Italy Struggles to Hire

Having lots of openings doesn’t mean they’re easy to fill. Italy has chronic labour shortages in certain occupations. Table 2 highlights roles with the highest hiring difficulty (meaning Italian employers struggle the most to find suitable candidates) among jobs with significant hiring volumes (we’ve removed a handful of job types with very little demand). These are the roles where skills or candidates are scarce relative to demand:

Table 2 – Jobs with the Highest Hiring Difficulty (≥ 10,000 expected hires)

Takeaways for expats:

● Italy has labour shortages across the board. There’s high demand (and not enough supply) for high-skilled professionals, especially in health care (e.g. doctors), life sciences, and IT. On the other end, there’s strong demand for skilled trades and manual work (construction, mechanics, metalwork, etc.)

● Many of these shortages are due to a lack of qualified candidates, not just low pay. In other words, certain jobs stay vacant because employers truly can’t find people with the right skills or training.

● Technical abilities and vocational skills often matter more than having a formal degree. If you have hands-on skills or certifications in these shortage areas, Italy offers plenty of opportunity.

Foreigners in the Workforce

If you consider that only about 10% of Italy’s population was born abroad, foreigners play a disproportionate role in Italy’s job market. Table 3 shows occupations with the highest share of foreign workers among new hires, along with how hard those jobs are to fill in general:

Table 3 – Jobs Most Commonly Filled by Foreign Workers

Takeaways:

● Foreign labour in Italy is structural. In certain sectors, Italians heavily rely on immigrant workers. For example, agriculture and farming, textiles manufacturing, and construction would struggle to function without foreign hands. These industries often face local labour shortages because the work can be tough, low-status, or in remote areas, so migrants fill the gap.

● These jobs often have a few things in common: relatively (relatively being the operating word, since Italy’s work visas are generally quota based) easier entry for work permits, a prevalence of informal hiring or seasonal work, and progression based more on on-the-job experience (and some Italian language ability) rather than formal credentials. For an expat, this means sectors like agriculture, caregiving, construction, and hospitality can be more accessible if you lack Italian qualifications.

Italian Payscales: North vs South

When considering where to work in Italy, geography makes a big difference. Italia settentrionale consistently offers more economic opportunity: higher productivity, higher wages, and stronger labour demand overall. Italia meridionale (including the islands) has higher unemployment and lower average pay, although they still have worker shortages in areas like healthcare, construction, and agriculture.

One stark illustration is the average wages by region. Generally, the north beats the south in pay, reflecting a productivity gap. Here are indicative gross annual wages for full-time work by macro-region:

● Nord Ovest – roughly €31,800 average gross per year

● Nord Est – roughly €29,100

● Centro (Central Italy) – roughly €27,300

● Sud (Mezzogiorno) – roughly €22,000

● Isole (Sicily & Sardinia) – roughly €21,900

(Source: ASI 2025 regional statistics.)

Il costo della vita in the North is not significantly higher than in the South, except when considering major cities and popular tourist destinations.

For expats, this means if you have the flexibility, the north and centre of Italy generally offer better pay and more job options, especially in industries like manufacturing, professional services, and technology. The south, while culturally rich, may require more effort to find well-paid formal employment.

Top Italian Regions for Job Opportunities

In the future as in the present, prospects in Italy will vary widely by region. The North-West e il South & Islands are each expected to account for the largest shares of job openings: roughly 28% of 2025–29 openings will be in the northwest (the Lombardy-Piedmont-Liguria area), and about 30% in the South and islands (the Mezzogiorno). By comparison, the central regions and north-east will share the remaining ~42%. This might surprise those who assume all jobs are in the industrial north. It indicates that, while the northern regions (with their strong economies) will generate many jobs, the southern regions also will need to hire a lot (largely to replace workers and due to their large public sectors and populations).

Source: Unioncamere–ANPAL Excelsior forecast 2025–2029.

The concentration of roles in a few key regions underscores their economic importance:

1. Lombardy (Milan Metropolitan Area): As the undisputed economic capital, Lombardy is projected to lead all regions, accounting for over 18% of the national total, equating to an estimated 592,000 to 683,000 job openings over the five-year period. Opportunities here span finance, manufacturing, fashion, and technology.

2. Lazio (Roma): Driven primarily by the public administration, services, and tourism sectors concentrated in the capital city, Lazio is expected to secure about 10% of the total openings.

3. Veneto: A historically strong manufacturing region, Veneto follows with approximately 8.6% of the openings, focused on specialized industrial production and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

4. Campania (Naples Area): The largest southern region by population, Campania is projected to account for about 8.5%, with opportunities driven by both replacement needs and investments in sectors like logistics and tourism.

5. Emilia-Romagna: Known for its manufacturing excellence (e.g., “Motor Valley”) and agro-food industry, this region is forecast to have about 8.4% of the job volume.

6. Sicilia: As the largest island region, Sicily is expected to generate approximately 6.7% of the national openings, largely driven by public sector needs, tourism, and agriculture.

What the Jobs Actually Pay in Italy

It’s tempting to assume that such widespread labour shortages would drive wages up. In Italy, this mechanism is weaker than in many other countries. National labour contracts, small firm size, thin margins, and the availability of foreign labour mean that shortages are more often resolved by longer vacancies or higher turnover, not higher pay. As a retiree or remote-working expat, you may get some grim satisfaction from the fact that wage inflation isn’t likely to turn into actual inflation. As a job seeker in Italy, you will feel different.

So before packing your bags, it’s important to have a reality check on Italian wages. Salaries in Italy can be quite modest, especially in small firms (which make up the bulk of the economy). Table 4 gives a rough idea of median pay in a few major sectors, focusing on small companies (under 10 employees). We show the median hourly wage (gross) and what that translates to as an approximate annual salary (before tax), assuming full-time hours:

Table 4 – Indicative Pay by Sector (Italy-born workers, small firms)*

* The data breaks down pay by worker nationality (see note below)
**Annualised assuming ~2,080 work-hours/year (for comparison purposes).

Nota:

● These figures are gross, before income tax and social contributions are deducted. Take-home pay will be lower, and taxation varies by income level and region.

● They reflect typical wages in micro-sized firms. Big companies generally pay more, whereas very small or family-run businesses often pay at or near these median levels.

● Foreign-born workers tend to earn slightly less than Italy-born workers in the same sectors. This isn’t due to official pay scales (there’s no legal difference by nationality), but rather because immigrants often work in lower-paying positions or in areas with less union presence.

For Expats Considering Work in Italy

What does all this mean for you as a prospective expat worker in Italy? Here are some practical takeaways and tips:

● Italy is not a “graduate economy”. Outside of certain fields like finance or academia, having a specific skill or trade can be more valuable than a general degree. Think in terms of skills e esperienza that are in demand (e.g. mechanical repair, nursing, IT programming, etc.), rather than just education titles.

● Don’t overlook “the jobs Italians don’t want”. Sectors like agriculture, caregiving, construction, cleaning, or hospitality have high turnover and often rely on foreigners. They might not be glamorous, but they can offer a foothold into the Italian job market, especially if you’re willing to work your way up.

● The North (and to a degree the Centre) of Italy has more jobs and better pay on average. If you speak some Italian and are open to it, medium-sized cities in the north (like those in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna or Veneto) often have industrial districts hungry for workers. Southern Italy can be more challenging for formal jobs, so plan accordingly if moving there: you might need savings or remote work as a supplement.

● Learn Italian. While the tech sector and multinational companies may offer English-speaking environments, the vast majority of Italian workplaces operate in Italian. Speaking the language will exponentially broaden the jobs you can take and improve your earning potential. Even in blue-collar roles, knowing Italian helps you network and move into better positions.

● Many expats find success through a mixed strategy: for example, doing part-time local work for integration and steady income, while also freelancing or working remotely for an international employer to boost earnings. Others start their own small businesses or work as self-employed consultants. Having multiple irons in the fire can help you both pay the bills and pursue passion projects, given Italy’s sometimes rigid job market.