Italy attracts more foreign graduates than it loses in talent

Recent data from Istat, analyzed by the CGIA research office, suggests a shift in the perception of the ‘brain drain’ in Italy. While approximately 78,000 Italian graduates aged 25 to 34 moved abroad between 2019 and 2024, nearly 88,000 foreign graduates in the same age group relocated to Italy. This results in a positive net balance of 9,593 highly qualified individuals entering the country.

The report notes that while the loss of Italian human capital remains a serious issue, particularly in the South, the influx of foreign talent provides a more complex demographic picture than previously reported. In 2024 alone, the 20,711 Italian graduates who left the country represented only about 1.1% of the total Italian graduate population in that age bracket.

Regional trends vary significantly. Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli Venezia Giulia have recorded negative balances regarding the movement of young professionals. In Veneto, the departure of local graduates and returning Italians was not fully offset by the arrival of foreign graduates, leading to a negative regional balance.