On a recent trip through North America with a fellow Italian senator, he made an interesting observation. “People still look you in the eye here,” he told me. I thought about it, and he is right. There seems to be a lot of doom and gloom in Italy nowadays, and people often avoid eye contact. Unemployment is over 12 percent, and youth unemployment is well over 40 percent. But hopefully things will change soon.
The government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi recently presented a law that would make the job market more flexible, while guaranteeing more work opportunities for younger generations of Italians.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi
It’s stunning to see the growing number of young Italians who move out of the country seeking a job. The most recent statistics provided by A.I.R.E. (the government office responsible for keeping track of Italians living abroad) shine a light on the exodus: Only last year, almost 100,000 Italians left the country. That’s 19 percent more than the year before, and 55 percent more since 2011, when 61,000 left. If you factor in that only about half of those leaving register with A.I.R.E., the picture is staggering.
I also noticed that the United States is becoming less attractive for young Italians seeking a job. It recently was bumped down to seventh place, surpassed by Brazil, while European destinations such as England and Germany remain at the top. It’s possible this trend is due to the strict immigration laws the United States imposes on professionals seeking opportunities here. There is a mix of factors that regulate these policies. Over the past several years, though, the protective attitude has been caused by high unemployment rates and a very strict Homeland Security policy.
I often get requests or letters from highly skilled professionals who would love to work in the United States, but they can’t because the process is so long and burdensome that some companies just don’t bother and end up hiring someone locally, who might not be as qualified for the job.
I don’t have anything against people moving to other countries for work. Actually, in today’s world, it can be a plus. But there needs to be an environment back home that will welcome you with open arms if you have worked hard to become very good at your job. That just doesn’t exist right now in Italy.
So how do we prevent the phenomenon of long-term mass migration from growing? Creating the right environment for jobs and changing the approach to work will significantly boost Italy’s economy. Incentives need to be directed at those who can create jobs, such as the artisans and small- and medium-sized businesses that are the country’s economic engine. Investments need to be made in infrastructure and modernizing the country. Many small or family-owned businesses in Italy do amazing things in their respective fields. But there is often a lack of a modern business vision that can help them succeed in today’s global market. This is especially true in the south. We need to preserve the fantastic artisanal work being done, but we can’t expect certain crafts to survive if they are left alone.
One more important factor: In order to implement the necessary changes, we must have political stability. Over the past two years, we have had four different prime ministers and ministers of foreign affairs. How can we conduct business or initiate a fruitful dialogue when the actors — and their priorities — change constantly?
These are all structural changes that need to be made, but it is just as important to change our attitude. Many young Italians seem disgusted by a number of jobs that actually are vital for a nation’s economy. I’m talking about the builders, the plumbers and all those other categories that now are dominated by immigrants in Italy. Those are all jobs that could easily be taken by Italians, but there evidently is little interest in them.
All in all, I sense the country is moving in the right direction. It’s the speed — or lack of it — that worries me.
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