In Italy, the issuance of residence permits to third-country nationals (TCNs) experienced a significant increase of 85.9% from 2021 to 2022, rising from 242,000 to 449,000. In 2023, the employment rate for TCNs reached 60.7%, just shy of the 61.5% employment rate for Italian citizens. The unemployment rate among TCNs decreased to 11.4% from 14.4% in 2022, and their inactivity rate fell to 31.5% from 33.6%.
TCNs are predominantly employed in sectors such as personal and collective services (30.4%), agriculture (18%), catering and tourism (17.4%), and construction (16.4%).
However, TCN women face more challenging conditions compared to their male counterparts. They have a higher unemployment rate of 13.8%, a lower employment rate of 45.6%, and a greater inactivity rate of 46.9%.
TCN workers generally possess lower skill levels and earn less than local workers. The NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rate among TCN youth is 26.5%, and the school dropout rate is 29.5%. Additionally, 33.2% of households consisting solely of TCNs live in absolute poverty, in contrast to a 6.3% poverty rate for Italian households.