The unemployment rate in September dropped to 9.2% (-0.1 points on the previous month), despite the increase among young people aged 15-24 to 29.8% (+1.8 points). Istat communicates this by disseminating the provisional monthly data on employed and unemployed people. In September, the recovery also consolidated and compared to the pre-pandemic levels in February, the number of employees was 300,000 fewer; the employment and unemployment rates are 0.4 and 0.6 points lower, respectively, while the inactivity rate is 0.9 points higher.
«In September – notes Istat – employment returns to increase, after the decreases observed in July and August. Compared to January 2021, there is a positive balance of just over 500 thousand employees, due exclusively to the resumption of dependent work which grows by about 520 thousand units. The employment rate is 1.5 percentage points higher ».
The decrease in the number of job seekers (-1.2%, equal to -28,000 units compared to August) is more marked for men and only involves those over 24 years old. The decrease in the number of inactive people between 15 and 64 years old, observed in September compared to August (-0.3%, equal to -46 thousand units), involves only women, 25-34 year olds and over 50 years old. The inactivity rate drops to 35.7% (-0.1 points). Furthermore, compared to September 2020, both the number of job seekers (-9.1%, equal to -230 thousand units), and that of inactive persons between 15 and 64 years (-2%, equal to -280 thousand), decreased (-2%, equal to -280 thousand ), which had increased dramatically at the start of the health emergency.