Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy

Italy: Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total was 18.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
18.7%
Change on year
down 23.0%
World rank
43rd
of 43 countries
All-time high
36.6%
in 1998
All-time low
18.7%
in 2020
Years of data
23
1998–2020

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy, 1998–2020

0102030401998200920201998: 36.6 Percentage1999: 33.9 Percentage2000: 32.4 Percentage2001: 28 Percentage2002: 25.3 Percentage2003: 22.6 Percentage2004: 31.4 Percentage2005: 29.5 Percentage2006: 28.5 Percentage2007: 24.4 Percentage2008: 25.3 Percentage2009: 30.7 Percentage2010: 30.8 Percentage2011: 32.2 Percentage2012: 33.8 Percentage2013: 32.9 Percentage2014: 28.6 Percentage2015: 28.2 Percentage2016: 25.6 Percentage2017: 25.4 Percentage2018: 24.2 Percentage2019: 24.3 Percentage2020: 18.7 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy is 18.7%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is down 23.0% on the previous year and down 39.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy peaked at 36.6% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 18.7%, in 2020.

That places Italy 43rd out of 43 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy, year by year

Annual values for Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment in Italy, 1998 to 2020.
Year Percentage Change
1998 36.6%
1999 33.9% -7.4%
2000 32.4% -4.4%
2001 28.0% -13.6%
2002 25.3% -9.6%
2003 22.6% -10.7%
2004 31.4% +38.9%
2005 29.5% -6.1%
2006 28.5% -3.4%
2007 24.4% -14.4%
2008 25.3% +3.7%
2009 30.7% +21.3%
2010 30.8% +0.3%
2011 32.2% +4.5%
2012 33.8% +5.0%
2013 32.9% -2.7%
2014 28.6% -13.1%
2015 28.2% -1.4%
2016 25.6% -9.2%
2017 25.4% -0.8%
2018 24.2% -4.7%
2019 24.3% +0.4%
2020 18.7% -23.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 35.2% 33.9% 36.6% 2
2000s 27.8% 22.6% 32.4% 10
2010s 28.6% 24.2% 33.8% 10
2020s 18.7% 18.7% 18.7% 1

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 41 Spain 25.3% compare
  2. 42 Romania 20.7% compare

See the full ranking of 43 places →

More work & labour data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy?
Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy was 18.7% in 2020, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 1998.
What is the lowest unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 18.7% in 2020.
How does Italy rank for unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total?
Italy ranks 43rd out of 43 countries with data for 2020.
Is unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-methods-used-for-seeking-work-percent-of-total-unemployment-2/italy/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-methods-used-for-seeking-work-percent-of-total-unemployment-2/italy/">Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Italy</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
43 places, 931 data points, 1998–2020
Last refreshed