Italy loses up to 11.4 billion euros annually to brain drain

A study conducted by Teha Group in collaboration with Philip Morris Italia reveals that Italy loses between 10.7 and 11.4 billion euros annually due to the emigration of highly skilled workers.

In 2024, more than 141,000 Italian citizens transferred their residency abroad, including approximately 45,000 degree holders. Over a ten-year period, the country has seen a loss of roughly 300,000 highly specialized profiles. The economic impact is calculated by combining the 7.2 billion euros spent annually on the education of these graduates with the estimated lost added value they would have generated within the national economy.

The exodus is most concentrated in high-specialization and technology-driven sectors, where wage gaps and a lack of research investment make foreign markets more attractive.