Nearly 340,000 new jobs were created in the second quarter (Q2) of this year, up 1.5 per cent from the first quarter, data released Monday by the National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) showed.
The main driver of growth was the increase of temporary workers, which grew by more than 225,000, or an increase of 8.3 per cent compared to the first quarter, according to the ISTAT.
The number of "inactive" workers aged 15 to 64 -- those who were able to work but no longer seeking employment -- also dropped by 2.4 percent in Q2, the equivalent of more than 335,000 workers, reports Xinhua.
Though the overall employment situation was improving, ISTAT data showed the number of employed residents was still 678,000 fewer in Q2 in Italy compared to the second quarter of 2019, before the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Female workers, young workers, and foreigners were hit hardest in the labor sector, official figures showed.