The number of temporary agency workers in Italy for May 2018 increased by 15.1% when compared to the same period last year, according to figures from Ebitemp, the bilateral organisation for temporary employment representing employers’ associations and unions.

Ebitemp figures also showed that the total payroll of temporary workers in May recorded an uptick of 14.8% compared to the same month last year.

Meanwhile, the number of hours worked in May increased by 14.6% on an annual basis. Broken down by hours worked per worker, this figure decreased by 0.5% in May when compared to last year.

In SIA’s analysis of the Most Attractive Staffing Market Globally, Italy ranked joint first alongside Sweden however, the positive market is threatened by new legislation currently awaiting approval by the Italian Parliament.

The unemployment rate in Italy stood at 8.4% in May 2018, according to figures from Eurostat.