Istat: employment falls in March, -30 thousand over the year

In March 2026, the number of employed persons, at 24 million 124 thousand, was down from the previous month. The decrease involved fixed-term employees (2 million 440 thousand) and the self-employed (5 million 270 thousand), while permanent employees were substantially stable (16 million 414 thousand). This is what the Istat reports in its provisional estimate of the employed and unemployed in March 2026.

Employment decreased compared to March 2025 (-30 thousand employed in one year), reflecting the decline in permanent (-14 thousand) and fixed-term employees (-142 thousand) and the growth of the self-employed (+125 thousand).

On a monthly basis, the employment rate was stable at 62.4 %, the unemployment rate dropped to 5.2 % and the inactivity rate rose to 34.1 %.

The drop in the number of job seekers (-2.8%, equal to -38 thousand) is observed for men and women and for all age groups with the exception of 15-24 year-olds, among whom the unemployed are slightly up. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.2% (-0.1 points), while the youth unemployment rate rose to 18.1% (+0.6 points).

The increase in the number of inactive persons between the ages of 15 and 64 (+0.4%, i.e. +46,000) is found for both sexes, among 15-24 year-olds and those aged 50 and over; inactive persons are instead stable among 25-34 year-olds and decreasing among 35-49 year-olds. The inactivity rate rose to 34.1% (+0.1 points).