Commerce, tourism and catering are looking for 626,000 workers

The job application it doesn’t stop in the tertiary sector. For the quarter April-June 2026 the companies of tradeof the turismo and of catering nearby 626 thousand employeesaround 12 thousand more than in the same period of 2025. A sign of confidence from companies, which continue to plan hiring and collaborations to face the season, despite a context marked by international tensions, geopolitical uncertainty, energy crisis and cost volatility. This is what emerges from an elaboration Confesercenti-CST on Unioncamere-Ministry of Labor data, Excelsior information system.

Above all, growth is supported by the food macro-sector turismo — which includes accommodation, catering and other services — which is expected in the April-June quarter 418 thousand entriesover 20 thousand more than in the spring of last year. More than one business in three is looking for staff: among the 224 thousand companies in the sector interviewed, 36.2% indicated the forecast of new entries. The driving force in particular is the cateringwith 301 thousand figures sought, equal to over 70% of the overall demand in the tourism sector. The most requested figures are waiters, bar counters, assistant chefs, cooks and bartenders. However, it remains high difficulty in findingwhich affects 44% of the expected positions.

Receptivity and trade dynamics

In the sector of receptivity the estimated revenue is 22.5 thousand. Businesses are looking above all receptionistsdoormen and reception staff, but even in this case the recruitment remains complex: 41% of the searches are difficult to cover, above all due to the limited number of candidates or the inadequacy of the available profiles. In the tradehowever, the dynamics is weaker. Out of 328 thousand companies interviewed, 18.9% expect new revenue, for a total of 208.5 thousand units, down by 8,240 compared to the same quarter of 2025. The most requested figures remain sales workers, clerks, checkout clerks and store managers. Here too there is no shortage of critical issues on the recruitment front: the difficulties concern 31% of the scheduled positions.

The pillars of employment and the decline in the self-employed

Overall, trade, tourism and catering are still confirmed among the pillars of employment in Italy. As of December 31, 2025, the three sectors have approximately 4.5 million employeesup by +351 thousand units compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. A growth due, however, entirely to the dependent component of employment: the autonomous decreased by -177 thousand units. «The spring quarter prepares the summer season, and the stability of the demand for work is a positive sign, even if it will have to be verified in the coming months, depending on the evolution of the international context», he declares Nico GronchiPresident of Confesercenti.

Dumped contracts and impoverishment of work

«In this context, the Government’s commitment to intervening on work in the next few days is important. We must keep our attention high on the issue of poor work and on the contrast to dumped contractswhich generate downward competition on wages. A phenomenon to be addressed by strengthening the quality of bargaining. We are working on it together with other business associations, from Confindustria to Confcommercio, and to trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL. But the issue is broader and concerns the impoverishment of work as a whole, which not only affects employees but also the self-employed: from 2007 to today the average income from work of small entrepreneurs, professionals and VAT numbers decreased by approximately 9,800 euros”.

Risks for microbusinesses and local economies

«In addition to business risktoday taxes, bureaucracy, unfair competition and consumption crisis are eroding the revenues that allowed thousands of microenterprises to survive and contribute to collective well-being. It is not only families who are impoverished, but also families local economy: targeted interventions are needed to reverse the trend.”