Regional unemployment rate in Italy 2023, by gender

In 2023, the Italian region that registered the lowest unemployment rate in the whole country was Trentino-South Tyrol. Only 2.3 percent of the male, and 3.4 percent of the female workforce did not have a job. Overall, the unemployment rate of women in all Italian regions was higher than the unemployment rate of men. 

Unemployment in South Italy

Since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008, the south of Italy has been particularly affected by the crisis in the labor market. Despite a steady decrease in the country’s unemployment rate started in 2015, many southern regions are still struggling against the high percentage of the workforce without any occupation. In 2023, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily registered the highest unemployment rates nationwide.

EU member states with the highest unemployment rates

With roughly 11.5 percent of potential employees without any occupation, Spain was the first European Union member state in terms of the highest unemployment rate in 2023. Italy placed fifth with 7.3 percent, behind Greece, Sweden, and Estonia.