On the occasion of the presentation of the 30th Migration Report 2025, the ISMU Foundation ETS offered a comprehensive overview of the evolution of migratory flows in Italy over the past thirty years. This period has seen the population with a migratory background grow to almost six million people, bringing profound social, cultural, and economic changes.
A Thirty-Year Evolution: From First Arrivals to Second Generations
Starting from the 1990s—marked by epochal events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall—Italy witnessed a progressive increase in the foreign population. Over the years, alongside the first generations, second generations have emerged, now adults, and third generations are beginning to appear. The acquisition of citizenship has accompanied this process: ISMU estimates that there are nearly two million “new Italians,” highlighting a now consolidated integration process, although not without its challenges.
The 2024 Figures
As of January 1, 2024, the number of foreigners present in Italy is estimated at 5.755 million, showing a slight decline compared to 2023 (-0.3%). However, the number of foreign residents has increased to 5.254 million. The irregular component continues to decrease, now at 321,000 people, or 5.6% of the total, continuing a downward trend started in 2019. Entries for work purposes, however, saw a sharp decline in 2023 (-42.2% compared to 2022), while requests for permits for family, study, asylum, and international protection purposes increased. Non-EU citizens holding a long-term residence permit number 2.139 million.
Landings and Asylum Requests: Mixed Figures
In 2024, sea landings stopped at just over 66,000, a sharp decrease compared to 2023 (-57.9%), while land arrivals in the first six months of the year totaled 3,400 (compared to 5,600 in 2023). Despite this drop, asylum requests in the first nine months of 2024 saw a surge: +27.1%, totaling 116,000 applications.
Immigration and Work: A Balance to Strengthen
In the labour market, the presence of foreign workers remains significant. In 2023, there were 2.317 million foreign workers aged 15 to 64. However, the employment rate for this group has declined over time: from 65.8% in 2005 to 61.6% in 2023. Conversely, the employment rate of Italians rose from 57.2% to 61.2%. Foreigners now represent 15.5% of total unemployed people, a figure that highlights the difficulties in fully integrating into the productive system.
School and Citizenship: New Generations at the Forefront
The school system reflects demographic transformations. In the 2022/23 school year, students with non-Italian citizenship (CNI), born in Italy or abroad, numbered 914,860, or 11.2% of the total student population (over 8 million). This data confirms that immigration is now a structural component of Italian society, starting from school desks.
Looking Ahead: Challenges, Opportunities, and Good Practices
The 30th Migration Report does not just present data; it invites reflection on the ongoing changes: from public attitudes towards immigration to the role of public policies and emerging challenges, including those posed by artificial intelligence and digitalisation. Building an inclusive, fair, and resilient society also depends on our ability to address these issues with vision and responsibility.
In this context, the AMIL project – Alliance Multi-stakeholders for Migrants Integration and Labour – was launched to contribute to the sustainable integration of third-country nationals into the labour market. The project is based on a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach, involving institutions, businesses, third-sector entities, and migrant communities. AMIL aims to develop concrete tools to facilitate job placement, the recognition of skills, and the enhancement of migrants’ talents, also through actions aimed at overcoming structural and cultural barriers. Initiatives like this represent a fundamental step in transforming immigration from a challenge into a resource for the country.
