Italy public sector staffing shortages

Recent analyses reveal pervasive staffing gaps in Italy’s public services. In education, nearly 47,000 teaching posts remain vacant and over 150,000 substitute teachers are employed annually, while a uniform €1,400 monthly salary is criticized as insufficient, especially in the north. The curriculum lacks guidance on integrating a growing share of immigrant students, prompting pedagogical groups to compile supplemental material.

In the health sector, a Eurispes study highlights a nursing shortage—6.9 nurses per 1,000 residents versus the EU average of 8.9—driven by low pay, an ageing workforce and high emigration. Meanwhile, research into emergency‑medicine training shows an oversupply of specialist slots, with occupancy falling dramatically from 90 % in 2019 to under 50 % in 2025. Both sectors face calls for improved workforce planning, better working conditions, and policies that address underlying recruitment and retention challenges rather than merely expanding training numbers.