Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Italy

Italy: Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 2,057 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
2,057
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
8th
of 88 countries
All-time high
3,484
in 2015
All-time low
1,125
in 2003
Years of data
23
2002–2024

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Italy, 2002–2024

1.0k1.5k2.0k2.5k3.0k3.5k2002201320242002: 1.2k2003: 1.1k2004: 2.2k2005: 2.2k2006: 2.2k2007: 2.6k2008: 2.7k2009: 2.6k2010: 2.8k2011: 2.9k2012: 3.0k2013: 3.1k2014: 3.4k2015: 3.5k2016: 3.3k2017: 3.1k2018: 2.9k2019: 2.8k2020: 3.0k2021: 2.9k2022: 2.5k2023: 2.2k2024: 2.1k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Italy is 2,057, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 39.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Italy peaked at 3,484 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 1,125, in 2003.

Italy ranks 8th of 88 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Italy, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Italy, 2002 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2002 1,159
2003 1,125 -2.9%
2004 2,156 +91.6%
2005 2,193 +1.7%
2006 2,249 +2.5%
2007 2,564 +14.0%
2008 2,661 +3.8%
2009 2,618 -1.6%
2010 2,774 +5.9%
2011 2,892 +4.3%
2012 2,973 +2.8%
2013 3,089 +3.9%
2014 3,385 +9.6%
2015 3,484 +2.9%
2016 3,273 -6.1%
2017 3,053 -6.7%
2018 2,911 -4.6%
2019 2,834 -2.7%
2020 3,024 +6.7%
2021 2,909 -3.8%
2022 2,464 -15.3%
2023 2,203 -10.6%
2024 2,057 -6.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2,091 1,125 2,661 8
2010s 3,067 2,774 3,484 10
2020s 2,531 2,057 3,024 5

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 5 Malawi 2,259 compare
  2. 6 Turkey 2,140 compare
  3. 7 Senegal 2,074 compare
  4. 9 United States 1,732 compare
  5. 10 Burkina Faso 1,486 compare
  6. 11 Bangladesh 1,382 compare

See the full ranking of 88 places →

More work & labour data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Italy?
Potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Italy was 2,057 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 3,484 in 2015.
What is the lowest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 1,125 in 2003.
How does Italy rank for potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
Italy ranks 8th out of 88 countries with data for 2024.
Is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/italy/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
88 places, 1,493 data points, 1987–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.