Italy Posts 33-Year Working Life, 4.5 Years Below EU Average
Updated
Updated · en.ilsole24ore.com · Aug 18
Italy Posts 33-Year Working Life, 4.5 Years Below EU Average
3 articles · Updated · en.ilsole24ore.com · Aug 18
Summary
Italy’s expected working life reached 33 years in 2025, second lowest in the EU after Romania and only about two months higher than 2024, CNA said.
The 4.5-year gap versus the EU average of 37.5 years reflects late labor-market entry for young people, discontinuous careers and weak female participation.
Women in Italy face an especially sharp shortfall: expected working life is 28.4 years, 8.9 years below men and the widest gender gap in the bloc, alongside a female employment rate stuck at 58%.
The short working life stands out against Italy’s aging profile — median age 49.1, over-65s nearly a quarter of the population — and pension spending at 15.5% of GDP, the EU’s highest share.
CNA said the data point to a structural growth and pension-sustainability problem, urging targeted youth and female employment policies, stronger vocational training, apprenticeships and active-ageing measures.