Autumn 2026, Brescia: the CFO of a family-owned machinery maker reviews a hiring plan that has slipped six months. She needs an HSE specialist before the next safety audit, two electrical designers and a welder supervisor, and a defence supplier down the road is hiring the same profiles.
In Naples, a 38-year-old bank clerk has watched routine transactions move to apps. He has an economics degree, decent English and a year of evening study available. Both want to know which professions are genuinely rising in Italy in 2026.
Italy enters late 2026 with near-record employment but a softening edge. According to ISTAT’s September 2026 release, 24.33 million people were in work, 198,000 more than a year earlier, with the employment rate at 63.0%. Unemployment, however, rose 0.4 points over the year to 6.3%, and youth unemployment stood at 19.9%.
The bigger story is scarcity. Firms surveyed by the Unioncamere–Ministry of Labour Excelsior system planned 565,000 hires in September alone and said 44.1% of them would be hard to fill. This guide, part of the kurums Rising Professions 2026 hub, ranks the professions gaining ground in Italy and covers what drives them, what they pay, how to qualify, where the jobs are and how employers should hire.
Which jobs are rising fastest in Italy?
LinkedIn’s 2026 Italy list is led by AI engineer, AI director, HSE specialist, avionics systems engineer and bioinformatician. Excelsior adds engineering technicians, welders and specialised construction trades, which firms struggle most to find.
What is driving demand?
The final PNRR deadlines of 2026, about €25 billion of planned data-centre investment for 2026–2028, a defence build-up at Leonardo and Fincantieri, an estimated 65,000-nurse shortfall and record foreign tourism.
What do the roles pay?
Typical advertised ranges run from €45,000–55,000 for a junior HSE manager to €40,000–100,000 for AI and machine-learning engineers, and €95,000 or more for wealth and private bankers (Michael Page and Hunters Group, 2026).
Which jobs are rising fastest in Italy in 2026?
AI engineers and AI directors top LinkedIn’s 2026 Jobs on the Rise list for Italy, followed by HSE specialists, avionics systems engineers and bioinformaticians. Excelsior’s shortage data adds engineering technicians, welders, nurses and construction trades that employers cannot recruit fast enough.
LinkedIn’s 15-role Italy list, released in March 2026, measures growth in roles members took up between January 2023 and July 2025. We combine its top eight with four roles that Excelsior and sector data flag as scarce.
| Rank | Profession | Why it is rising | Demand signal (source) | Typical advertised pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AI engineer | AI moves from pilots to production | LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2026 Italy #1 | €40,000–100,000 (~$47,000–117,000) (Hunters Group 2026) |
| 2 | AI director | Boards appoint owners for AI strategy | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #2 | Not separately reported in 2026 guides |
| 3 | HSE specialist | Safety and ESG obligations in industry | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #3 | €45,000–70,000+ (~$53,000–82,000+) for HSE managers (Michael Page 2026) |
| 4 | Avionics systems engineer | Defence and aerospace order books | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #4 | €30,000–45,000 (~$35,000–53,000) junior engineers, Leonardo (Glassdoor via Money.it 2026) |
| 5 | Bioinformatician | Pharma and genomics pipelines | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #5; Excelsior: 73.3% of life-science specialists hard to find (Sept 2026) | Not separately reported in 2026 guides |
| 6 | Wealth manager | Ageing savers and generational wealth transfer | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #6 | €95,000–250,000 (~$111,000–293,000) private bankers and portfolio managers (Hunters Group 2026) |
| 7 | Project manager | PNRR works with hard deadlines | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #7 | €50,000–75,000+ (~$59,000–88,000+) in engineering (Michael Page 2026) |
| 8 | Electrical engineer | Grid, data-centre and plant electrification | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #8 | €30,000–65,000+ (~$35,000–76,000+) (Michael Page 2026) |
| 9 | Engineering technician | Automation outruns supply | Excelsior Sept 2026: 63.5% hard to find | €30,000–60,000 (~$35,000–70,000) technicians and maintenance specialists (Hunters Group 2026) |
| 10 | Nurse | Retirements and emigration | About 65,000 shortfall (Ragioneria dello Stato, cited by FNOPI, 2025) | About $48,900 PPP average gross (OECD 2022 data, cited by Coina) |
| 11 | Welder / metal-frame assembler | Shipbuilding, defence and metalworking demand | Excelsior: 74.5% hard to find (Sept 2026) | €38,000–56,000+ (~$44,000–66,000+), electromechanical technicians (Michael Page 2026) |
| 12 | Procurement manager | Supply-chain risk and reshoring decisions | LinkedIn 2026 Italy #11 | €60,000–75,000+ (~$70,000–88,000+) (Michael Page 2026) |
Two patterns stand out. AI is the headline but not the majority: most roles are engineering, safety, care or industrial jobs tied to physical projects. And the list rewards compliance and control: HSE specialists, controllers (LinkedIn #13), accountants (#12) and procurement managers rise because regulation, ESG reporting and supply-chain risk are now board-level concerns. Excelsior’s hardest-to-find categories are mostly technical and manual, not digital.
What is driving demand for these professions?
Five forces drive Italian hiring in 2026: the final push to spend Recovery Plan (PNRR) money, a data-centre and AI investment wave centred on Milan, a defence and aerospace build-up, an ageing population that strains care, and a tourism sector setting new records.
The PNRR endgame
Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, worth about €194 billion across roughly 280,000 projects, reaches its end in 2026. Avvenire reported in May 2026 that about 53.8% had been spent by the end of 2025 and that the Corte dei Conti put spending at 58% in February 2026, with 31 August 2026 the binding deadline and a final instalment of €28.4 billion tied to the last 159 milestones.
That calendar explains the rise of project managers, electrical engineers and site technicians who can close works and certify completion. More than 100 measures were still delayed in May 2026, and some projects are being split to continue into 2027, keeping delivery skills in demand.
Data centres and AI adoption
A report by Assoimmobiliare, using Politecnico di Milano data and covered by Milano Finanza in July 2026, counts 83 data-centre projects and about €25 billion of planned investment in Italy for 2026–2028, against €7.1 billion in 2023–2025. The Milan area already hosts 80 of Italy’s 205 data centres, and a 2026 decree caps authorisation at ten months.
The same wave lifts AI roles. AGI reported in September 2026 that AI-related job postings in Italy rose 93% in a year and that the AI market reached €1.8 billion in 2025, up 50%: the demand behind LinkedIn’s two top roles.
Defence, aerospace and shipbuilding
Money.it reported in February 2026 that Leonardo plans about 17,000 hires over three years, after almost 20,000 in the previous three, prioritising engineers, software developers and physicists with cybersecurity, AI and digital-twin skills.
Fincantieri’s 2026–2030 plan, reported by QuiFinanza in April 2026, starts with more than 1,200 hires and targets 27,500 staff by 2030, up from 24,500, while its Maestri del Mare programme trains over 350 shipyard workers.
Ageing population and the care gap
Italy has about 6.5 nurses per 1,000 inhabitants against an EU average of 8.4, according to figures cited by the Coina union in May 2025. FNOPI, the national nursing federation, presented a Ragioneria dello Stato estimate of a 65,000-nurse shortfall and projects about 110,000 exits from the profession between 2023 and 2033.
The Nursing Up union counted more than 20,000 voluntary resignations in the first nine months of 2024, while foreign nurses in Italy rose to 43,600 by April 2025.
Tourism at record volumes
ISTAT data reported by Milano Finanza in March 2026 show total tourist nights up 2.3% in 2025 and foreign nights up 4.3%, even as arrivals dipped 0.9%. Longer, foreign-led stays mean more hospitality work.
Excelsior’s September 2026 bulletin makes tourism Italy’s largest single hiring channel: restaurant staff were the most requested profile, at 66,790 planned hires (11.8% of the month’s total), and the September–November quarter counted about 255,000 tourism hires, according to QuiFinanza’s summary.
What do the rising jobs pay in Italy?
Typical advertised ranges in 2026 run from about €30,000–45,000 for early-career electrical and energy engineers to €40,000–100,000 for AI and machine-learning engineers and €95,000–250,000 for private bankers and portfolio managers. Pay is gross annual (RAL); treat ranges as advertised, not guaranteed.
| Role | Typical advertised range (gross, per year) | Source / year |
|---|---|---|
| AI / machine-learning engineer | €40,000–100,000 (~$47,000–117,000) | Hunters Group observatory, 2026 |
| Cybersecurity specialist | €65,000–90,000 (~$76,000–105,000) | Hunters Group observatory, 2026 |
| Cloud architect | €30,000–40,000 junior; €60,000–100,000 senior (~$35,000–117,000) | Hunters Group observatory, 2026 |
| HSE manager (engineering & manufacturing) | €45,000–55,000 (<5 yrs); €55,000–70,000 (5–10 yrs); €70,000+ (~$53,000–82,000+) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| Electrical designer | €38,000–50,000; €50,000–65,000; €65,000+ (~$44,000–76,000+) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| Project manager (engineering) | €50,000–60,000; €60,000–75,000; €75,000+ (~$59,000–88,000+) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| Industrial controller | €45,000–55,000; €55,000–70,000; €70,000+ (~$53,000–82,000+) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| General accountant | €28,000–35,000; €35,000–45,000 (~$33,000–53,000) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| PLC / industrial automation programmer | €38,000–50,000; €50,000–60,000; €60,000+ (~$44,000–70,000+) | Michael Page, 2026 |
| Renewable energy project manager | Up to €130,000 (~$152,000) | Hunters Group observatory, 2026 |
Italian salaries remain below northern European levels, and real wages lost ground in the 2022–2023 inflation spike, so candidates in scarce roles negotiate hard on fixed pay. The Hays 2026 guide singles out finance leadership, risk and supply-chain managers as premium profiles. National collective agreements (CCNL) set the floor.
The EU Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970), with a transposition deadline of 7 June 2026, will require salary ranges to be disclosed to candidates before interview. Geography matters too: Milan pays the most for tech, finance and consulting, while the South advertises lower ranges, partly offset by living costs.
Which skills, degrees and certifications unlock these roles?
Italy’s rising roles split into regulated professions that need a recognised degree, state exam or register entry (engineers, nurses, safety officers, financial advisers) and market-certified roles where vendor or professional certifications carry the most weight (AI, cloud, project management, procurement).
- AI engineer: a laurea magistrale in computer engineering, data science or maths; AWS Certified Machine Learning, Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate or Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer.
- HSE specialist: the RSPP/ASPP qualification under Legislative Decree 81/2008 (modules A, B and C); ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 lead-auditor courses; NEBOSH for multinationals.
- Avionics systems engineer: a degree in aerospace or electronic engineering; DO-178C and DO-254 know-how; EASA Part-66 licences for maintenance-side roles.
- Electrical engineer: engineering degree plus the Esame di Stato and registration with the Ordine degli Ingegneri to sign projects; CEI 11-27 (PES/PAV) qualification for live-work safety.
- Nurse: the laurea in Infermieristica and registration with the local OPI; foreign nurses need Ministry of Health recognition of their qualification.
- Wealth manager: registration with the OCF financial-advisers register; EFPA certifications (EIP, EFA, EFP) or CFA.
- Project manager: PMP, PRINCE2 or IPMA certification, plus public-procurement knowledge for PNRR work.
- Engineering technician and welder: ITS Academy diplomas in mechatronics or energy; EN ISO 9606 welder qualification.
The kurums Courses & Certifications directory and MBA & Business Education directory list providers. For a cross-country view, see our guide to certifications that lead to 2026’s rising jobs and the companion piece on the skills behind them.
Where are the jobs? Regional hotspots
Milan and Lombardy lead for AI, data centres, finance and consulting; Turin, Rome and the Leonardo network anchor aerospace and defence; the Friuli and Liguria shipyards hire welders and engineers; and the South was the only area with rising hiring expectations in autumn 2026.
| Region / city | Rising roles | Why (source) |
|---|---|---|
| Milan and Lombardy | AI engineers, data-centre electricians, wealth managers, controllers | 80 of Italy’s 205 data centres (Assoimmobiliare/Politecnico, 2026) |
| Turin and Piedmont | Avionics engineers, automation and automotive engineers | Aerospace and automotive engineering cluster |
| Rome and Lazio | AI directors, cybersecurity, defence, public-sector project managers | Ministries, PNRR managing bodies, Leonardo headquarters |
| Trieste, Monfalcone and Liguria | Welders, naval engineers, software developers | Fincantieri plan: +3,000 headcount to 2030 (QuiFinanza, 2026) |
| Emilia-Romagna and Veneto | Engineering technicians, PLC programmers, HSE specialists | Machinery and mechatronics; Veneto at 54% PNRR progress (Avvenire, 2026) |
| South and Islands | Tourism, construction, care | Only macro-area with planned hiring up in Sept–Nov 2026: +16,000 (Excelsior via QuiFinanza) |
Which professions are losing ground?
Routine office and transaction roles are the most exposed: administrative assistants, call-centre staff, bank and post-office clerks, cashiers and translators. Politecnico di Milano estimates cited by AGI suggest about 18% of equivalent jobs, roughly 3.8 million workers, could be automated by 2033.
Unioncamere’s five-year forecast expects managers, specialists and technicians to make up about 41% of future needs, while some skilled-worker and plant-operator categories shrink. Exposure is not job loss: many clerical roles will be redesigned, and retirements still create replacement hires.
How should employers in Italy hire for scarce rising roles?
Benchmark against 2026 salary guides rather than last year’s CCNL rates, hire for skills and train through ITS Academy partnerships, move internal staff into compliance and data roles, and use the Decreto Flussi quotas or EU Blue Card for non-EU specialists.
- Benchmark realistically. Use 2026 Michael Page, Hays and Hunters Group ranges by role and city.
- Hire for skills, then train. Apprenticeships and ITS Academy partnerships widen the pool.
- Use internal mobility. Retrain administrative staff into controlling, procurement and compliance.
- Use the immigration routes. The Decreto Flussi 2026–2028 sets 497,550 non-EU entries over three years (164,850 in 2026). Highly qualified hires can use the EU Blue Card outside the quotas, and nurses have a dedicated out-of-quota channel under Article 27 of the Consolidated Immigration Act.
- Use an employer of record if you lack an Italian entity.
- Invest in employer brand. Welfare aziendale packages, hybrid work and training budgets help close the pay gap with large employers.
For the people side, see the kurums Expats in Italy HR guides, our employee benefits guide for Europe and Türkiye, the job boards by country directory and our comparison of global job platforms. Pay benchmarks across countries are in what the rising jobs of 2026 pay.
What should job seekers and career changers do in 2026?
Pick a rising role that matches skills you already have, earn one recognised credential within a year, and target the regions and sectors hiring for it. Engineering, safety, care and finance-control roles offer the most stable demand in Italy beyond the AI headlines.
- Map your transferable skills against the ranked table: clerks and administrators move most easily into controlling, procurement and compliance.
- Choose one credential: RSPP modules for safety, PMP for project work, a cloud or ML certification for AI, or an ITS Academy diploma for technical roles.
- Read your local Excelsior bulletin to see which profiles firms in your province struggle to find.
- Target the clusters: Milan for AI and finance, Turin and Rome for aerospace, the Friuli and Liguria shipyards for welding and naval engineering.
- Build English and AI literacy.
- Negotiate with data: bring 2026 salary-guide ranges to the conversation, not last year’s collective-agreement minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did LinkedIn publish a Jobs on the Rise 2026 list for Italy?
Yes. LinkedIn released a 15-role Italy edition in March 2026, based on positions members took up between January 2023 and July 2025. AI engineer, AI director and HSE specialist hold the top three places, followed by avionics systems engineer and bioinformatician.
Which jobs are hardest to fill in Italy in 2026?
According to the Excelsior bulletin for September 2026, firms found 73.3% of life-science specialists, 67.3% of directors and general managers and 63.5% of engineering technicians hard to recruit. Welders, metal-frame assemblers and specialised construction trades also score among the highest.
Can Italian employers hire non-EU workers for these roles?
Yes. The Decreto Flussi 2026–2028 sets 497,550 entries over three years, with 2026 applications made on fixed click days. Highly qualified workers can use the EU Blue Card outside the quotas, and foreign nurses have a dedicated out-of-quota route once their qualification is recognised.
Is AI destroying jobs in Italy?
Not on a large scale yet. AGI reports that AI job postings rose 93% in a year, while Politecnico di Milano estimates put about 18% of equivalent jobs at risk of automation by 2033. Routine clerical, call-centre and cashier roles are the most exposed.
Sources and method
- I 10 lavori più richiesti in Italia nel 2026 per LinkedIn (LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2026 Italy) — Borsa&Finanza, 2026
- Occupati e disoccupati – Settembre 2026 (dati provvisori) — ISTAT, 2026
- Bollettino Excelsior: 565mila assunzioni programmate a settembre — Ministero del Lavoro / Unioncamere, 2026
- Lavoro, più di 1,5 milioni di assunzioni entro novembre — QuiFinanza, 2026
- Unioncamere: le previsioni sui fabbisogni occupazionali — Quotidiano.net, 2025
- Studi di retribuzione 2026 — Michael Page Italy, 2026
- Gli stipendi delle professioni più ricercate in Italia (Hunters Group observatory) — BusinessOnline, 2026
- Questi sono i lavori più richiesti e meglio pagati nel 2026 (Hays Italy Salary Guide) — Money.it, 2026
- Il Pnrr scadrà tra un mese: cosa è stato fatto e cosa no — Avvenire, 2026
- Flussi 2026–2028: pubblicato il decreto da oltre 497mila ingressi — Ministero del Lavoro, 2025
- Italia, mancano 65mila infermieri — Il Fatto Quotidiano, 2025
- Data center, investimenti da 25 miliardi e 83 nuovi progetti nei prossimi tre anni — Milano Finanza, 2026
- Leonardo, 17.000 assunzioni in arrivo — Money.it, 2026
- Fincantieri assume 1.200 persone — QuiFinanza, 2026
- L’IA spaventa il mercato del lavoro: un posto su quattro è a rischio — AGI, 2026
Method: LinkedIn’s 2026 Italy ranking combined with Excelsior hiring and hard-to-find data for September 2026, ISTAT labour statistics and 2026 Michael Page, Hunters Group and Hays salary signals; tourism figures are ISTAT data as reported by Milano Finanza (March 2026). USD at about €1 = $1.17. Figures checked November 2026.
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