The number of foreign residents in Italy’s Abruzzo region has grown, reaching 87,066 by the end of 2023, according to a new immigration report presented at the University of L’Aquila on March 21. This figure accounts for 6.9 percent of the region’s total population.
The report, led by Professor Luigi Gaffuri, was released in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It highlights that most foreigners reside in the province of L’Aquila (24,560), followed by Teramo (23,599), Chieti (21,144), and Pescara (17,763).
Romanian nationals form the largest foreign community, numbering 21,787 (26.3 percent), followed by Albanians (10,763, 13 percent) and Moroccans (7,827, 9.4 percent). Ukrainians (4,134, 5 percent) and Chinese (3,887, 4.7 percent) also have a notable presence. Senegalese citizens (2,633) are concentrated around Pescara’s port, while the Bangladeshi population (1,903) continues to grow.
Foreign residents are, on average, younger than Italians, with 30.7 percent aged between 30 and 44. The region’s labor market employs 36,100 foreign workers, making up 7.2 percent of the workforce. Most are in the services sector (58.7 percent), followed by industry (29.9 percent) and agriculture (11.4 percent). Additionally, 14,467 migrant-run businesses operate in Abruzzo, mainly in trade (31.8 percent) and construction (19.5 percent), though business activity has declined by 2.8 percent over the past year.
At the end of 2023, residence permit holders increased by 3.8 percent, reaching 62,589. More than half (52.1 percent) held long-term permits, while 7,222 new permits were issued, primarily for international protection (45.5 percent) and family reunification (35.6 percent).
The report also noted a rise in foreign student enrollment, with 14,383 students registered in Abruzzo schools during the 2022/2023 academic year.