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In December 2025, the youth unemployment rate in Italy was 20.6 percent. The problem of unemployment in Italy became critical in the first years of the financial crisis, which started in 2008. Although the labor market crisis seriously affected the entire Italian working population, it particularly impacted the youngest part of the labor force. Between 2008 and 2014, the share of unemployed individuals aged between 15 and 24 years increased by more than 15 percentage points. However, a steady decline has been observed since 2014, with youth unemployment dropping to around 20 percent in 2024. 

The effects of the 2011-2012 financial crisis: dream job versus harsh reality 

Newly graduated and often looking for a first job, young people are particularly vulnerable to stagnation in the labor market. Considering the difficulties in finding a job during and after the years of the financial crisis, about 48 percent of young Italians declared in 2018 that they would accept a job that does not meet their career aspirations. One-fourth of the respondents stated that they would accept a monthly salary of 500 euros. 

Youth unemployment rate in the EU

Italy was the country with the ninth-highest youth unemployment rate among the EU member states in August 2023. The country with the highest youth unemployment was Estonia, where more than one out of four young individuals was unemployed.