Basilicata leads Italian hiring surge amid labor shortages

Data from Unioncamere and the Ministry of Labour indicates that Italian companies have planned 565,000 new hires for September 2026, with approximately 1.5 million expected over the September-November quarter. The region of Basilicata shows the highest growth in labor demand, with a 14.9% increase compared to September 2025.

Despite the high volume of planned entries, significant structural challenges persist. Approximately 44.1% of Italian companies report difficulty in finding workers, citing a lack of candidates and inadequate preparation. The service sector accounts for 65.6% of planned hires, followed by industry and construction at 26.5%, and the primary sector at 7.9%.

Analysts warn that high hiring volumes may mask underlying issues such as job precariousness and a skills mismatch. Critics note that a large portion of these roles are based on temporary contracts and that the disconnect between company needs and worker training remains a major obstacle to economic competitiveness.