Employment and unemployment (provisional estimates) - May 2023

In May 2023 the number of employed people rose, while unemployed persons decreased and inactive ones were substantially stable.

On a monthly basis, the increase of employment (+0.1%, +21 thousand) concerned men, people in the 25-34 age group and those aged 50 and over, while a decrease was recorded for women, the youngest (15-24) and those aged 35-49. Overall, the employment rate rose to 61.2% (+0.1 p.p.).

In the last month, the fall of unemployed persons (-1.7%, -34 thousand) involved men, people in the 25-34 age group and those aged 50 and over. The unemployment rate declined to 7.6% (-0.1 p.p.), the youth rate rose to 21.7% (+0.9 p.p.).

In May, the substantial stability in the number of inactive persons, aged 15 to 64, was the result of a growth among women and those aged 35 and over and of a decrease among men and those aged 25-34. The inactivity rate remained unchanged at 33.7%.

In the period March-May 2023, with respect to the previous quarter (December 2022-February 2023), employment increased (+0.5%, +120 thousand).

In the last three months, a drop was registered for both unemployed persons (-1.6%, -33 thousand) and inactive people aged 15-64 years (-0.6%, -74 thousand).

Compared with May 2022, the number of employed persons rose by 1.7% (+383 thousand), the growth concerned both genders and all age groups except 35-49 years; the employment rate showed an increase of 1.1 p.p. .

On a yearly basis, the rise of employed people was accompanied by a decrease of both unemployed (-4.8%, -98 thousand) and inactive persons aged 15-64 (-2.7%, -351 thousand).