Record hiring in the next five years. Between now and 2028, Italy needs between 3.4 and 3.9 million workers. And over 600,000 could be immigrants. The need for new workers, as revealed by a report by Unioncamere and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, is driven by turnover (replacement of outgoing workers) and the opportunities created by the Pnrr. Trade and tourism are among the sectors where demand will be greatest, with Lombardy being the region with the most opportunities for new employment.
New employees, between 78% and 88%, will replace outgoing workers, while economic growth will bring with it between 405 thousand and 832 thousand more units. The PNRR could generate up to 970 thousand jobs, also considering the related industries. Strategic sectors such as finance, trade and tourism, training, culture, construction and infrastructure will be the main beneficiaries of this boost. Finance is the sector that will have the greatest employment impact (23%), followed by trade and tourism (21%), training and culture (12%). Looking at the sectors with the greatest need for employment by 2028, trade and tourism are in first place, with a request for up to 713 thousand new hires. This is followed by support services for businesses and the Public Administration (563 thousand). Then comes the health sector (465 thousand), finance and consultancy (454 thousand) and finally the training and culture sector (445 thousand).
What will be the most sought-after categories? High-level workers: managers, specialists and technicians will represent 39% of requests. Commercial and service clerks and professionals (36%) in second place. And then skilled workers and plant operators (17%). Unskilled workers will represent only 8% of the total need.
Engineers stand out, 64 thousand of them will be needed. Teachers and trainers will also be among the most sought-after figures, with an estimated need for 100 thousand new teachers in primary, secondary, support schools and in specific disciplines. At least 52 thousand doctors and 30 thousand specialists in legal sciences are also needed. Companies are looking for green skills and workers with at least two out of three digital skills: the ability to use basic digital tools, mathematical and computer languages and management of innovative solutions. 960 thousand are needed. In the public sector, the need is to replace over 800 thousand workers, necessary not only to guarantee turnover but also to achieve the objectives set by the Pnrr. Technical-professional training will be required for almost half of the new hires (47/48%).
The need for new workers will be concentrated mainly in the North-West and the South/Islands, with Lombardy leading the national demand with approximately 709 thousand workers (i.e. 18% nationally). In Campania, Sicily and Puglia, the regions in greatest difficulty in the South, the potential shortage of personnel could reach 310 thousand, 255 thousand and 201 thousand units respectively. In the North-East and the Centre, however, estimates report a need for 836 thousand and 812 thousand new workers.
And between 3.4 and 3.9 million workers needed in the next five years, a crucial role is played by immigrants. It is estimated that 640 thousand could be needed. For them, the sectors with the greatest demand are first and foremost agriculture and then industry, mobility and logistics, agri-food, construction and infrastructure.
