Deep-dive

Work

Small labour market: Stellantis Melfi and suppliers, oil in the Val d'Agri, public employment, agriculture in the Metapontino, tourism in Matera and Maratea. Unemployment lower than in other southern regions, partly because of emigration. Job centres run by ARLAB; ZES unica incentives.

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Structure

Basilicata has employment rates below the national average but above Campania, Calabria and Sicily, and lower unemployment than the rest of the South, partly because emigration shrinks the working-age population. The Stellantis plant at Melfi and its supplier park are the largest private employer, with jobs tied to production volumes and assigned models and frequent furlough periods; the Val d'Agri oil supply chain (Eni, TotalEnergies and contractors) and public administration (Region, health service, schools) complete the stable poles.

Seasonality

Farming in the Metapontino (strawberries, citrus, vegetables, fruit) employs many foreign seasonal workers between March and July, with often critical housing conditions documented by the Region; the Vulture has wine and chestnuts. Matera's tourism works almost all year, peaking at Easter, in summer and on long weekends; Maratea and the Ionian coast (Policoro, Scanzano, Metaponto) have a short season, July–August. Film and audiovisual production generates intermittent work in Matera through the Lucana Film Commission.

Services and incentives

Job centres report to ARLAB, the Basilicata regional agency for work and apprenticeship, which publishes vacancies and manages the GOL programme and internships. ISTAT and SVIMEZ (a research association, not an official source) document for Basilicata one of Italy's most negative youth migration balances relative to population, with destinations Bari, Rome, Bologna, Milan and abroad. Oil royalties fund regional schemes for residents (such as the gas-bill contribution introduced in 2022) that change from year to year and must be checked on the Region's website. Businesses can access the ZES unica tax credit.

Employment rate (15-64)

Regional figurePeriod: 2025Validsample unknown

Source: ISTAT – Rilevazione sulle forze di lavoro: tasso di occupazione (dataflow 150_915, DCCV_TAXOCCU1)

57.4 %

Unemployment rate (15-74)

Regional figurePeriod: 2025Validsample unknown

Source: ISTAT – Rilevazione sulle forze di lavoro: tasso di disoccupazione (dataflow 151_914, DCCV_TAXDISOCCU1)

5.3 %