Deep-dive

Work

Employment above the national average. Port, logistics, research and insurance in Trieste; shipbuilding in Monfalcone; appliances and engineering in the Pordenone area; chairs, knives, ham and wine in the Friulian hills. Seasonal work on the coast (Lignano, Grado) and in the mountains; commuters to and from Slovenia and Austria. Job centres run directly by the Region.

Sections: Sectors · Salaries · Job search · Applications · Qualifications · Contracts

Sectors and districts

Trieste has a market of services, port and logistics, insurance (historic seat of a major insurance group), coffee, public administration and scientific research, with a high share of foreign researchers. Monfalcone is Italy's largest shipyard for cruise ships, with a large foreign workforce. Pordenone is the industrial hub: household appliances, engineering, wood and furniture (Brugnera), cutlery (Maniago). Udine has the chair district (Manzano, San Giovanni al Natisone), ham (San Daniele), wine (Collio, Grave) and engineering (Osoppo).

Seasonal and border work

Seasonal work concentrates on the beaches of Lignano Sabbiadoro and Grado (May–September) and in the resorts of Tarvisio, Sella Nevea, Piancavallo, Forni di Sopra and Zoncolan (December–March); agriculture needs labour for the grape and other harvests in lower Friuli. The border with Slovenia is open: Slovenian workers commute to Trieste, Gorizia and Monfalcone and, to a lesser extent, Italians to Nova Gorica and Koper; flows towards Austria (Villach, Carinthia) are smaller. Since 2025 Gorizia and Nova Gorica share cross-border projects linked to the European Capital of Culture.

Employment services

Job centres are run directly by the Region (Central Directorate for labour, training, education and family), with no separate agency; the regional portal gathers vacancies, hiring incentives and training programmes (GOL, PIPOL). The special statute allows the Region its own incentives for hiring and permanent contracts.

Employment rate (15-64)

Regional figurePeriod: 2025Validsample unknown

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

69.4 %

Unemployment rate (15-74)

Regional figurePeriod: 2025Validsample unknown

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

4.6 %