Italy is bracing for a substantial increase in demand for domestic workers, with projections indicating a need for over 2.3 million staff in 2025, according to a recent report by Assindatcolf and Centro Studi e Ricerche Idos. This surge in demand highlights the growing importance of foreign workers in supporting Italian households.
The study, titled ‘Family (Net) Work — Laboratorio su Casa, Famiglia e Lavoro Domestico‘, reveals that approximately two-thirds of these workers will need to come from abroad. Specifically, out of the 2.288 million domestic workers required, 1.524 million are expected to be foreign nationals, while 764,000 will be Italian citizens.
This workforce will be split almost evenly between housekeepers and caregivers, with a projected need for 1.25 million housekeepers and 1.262 million caregivers. The demand for foreign caregivers is particularly high, with an estimated 713,000 needed compared to 312,000 Italian caregivers.
The regional distribution of this demand varies significantly across Italy. Lombardy and Lazio top the list, each requiring over 200,000 workers. Interestingly, the need for foreign caregivers differs greatly between regions. In Sardinia, foreign caregivers make up less than 19% of the total, while in Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, they account for about 85% of caregivers.
This increasing demand for domestic workers is largely attributed to Italy’s aging population and demographic changes. As the country faces a growing elderly population, the need for in-home care and support has risen dramatically. This trend has made the cost of domestic help a “transversal problem” affecting families across various economic backgrounds.
Assindatcolf president Andrea Zini emphasized the need for comprehensive measures to help families manage the costs of domestic help. He called for policies that are not tied to specific economic indicators or age limits but instead provide broader support for wage and contribution costs.
The study also highlights the potential role of immigration in addressing this labor shortage. Luca Di Sciullo, head of Centro Studi e Ricerche Idos, suggested that immigrants could make an even larger contribution if Italy’s policies on foreign entry and residency were adjusted to align with the findings of such studies.
However, current policies regulating employment of foreign workers, including quota systems and verification processes, may need to be reevaluated to meet the growing demand effectively. The report calls for a more rational approach to immigration policies that considers the actual labor needs of the country.
This situation presents both challenges and opportunities for Italy. While it underscores the country’s dependence on foreign labor for essential domestic services, it also offers potential solutions to unemployment in other countries and could contribute to Italy’s economic growth.
As Italy struggles with these demographic and economic shifts, finding a balance between meeting domestic labor needs and managing immigration will be crucial for the country’s future social and economic stability.