Trends and demographic context of the integration of foreigners into the Italian labor market

This article aims to analyze the demographic context and the dynamics of the integration of foreigners into the Italian labor market. Despite significant migration inflows, Italy continues to experience a sharp decline in the population within the 20-30 age group, a trend that is mitigated by the foreign population. However, while foreigners continue to have higher employment and unemployment rates compared to Italians, for women the employment rate is higher among Italians, and the unemployment rate is higher for foreigners. Moreover, foreigners experience worse job conditions, lower labor mobility and higher poverty compared to Italians. Finally, there has also been a decline in births among foreigners in recent years, and the total fertility rate for foreign women has now fallen below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In the context of population aging, family, labor market and poverty reduction policies will need to include foreigners as well.