Italy’s logistics sector enters the first quarter of 2026 with strong labour demand that is difficult to meet. According to the March 2026 survey by the Excelsior Information System, transport, logistics and warehousing services expect 30,180 hires in March alone and 95,250 over the March–May 2026 quarter. If logistics is considered not as a standalone sector but as a cross-cutting function across the entire economy — including transport and distribution activities carried out by companies in other sectors — monthly hiring rises to 53,630, equal to 11% of total planned recruitment across the Italian economy in the same period.
Demand is split into two distinct macro-areas. The first, “Transport and Distribution”, represents the operational core of the sector, with 38,730 expected hires in March and a recruitment difficulty rate of 42.1%. The second, “Procurement and Internal Goods Handling”, accounts for 14,890 hires with a difficulty rate of 34.4%. Both areas point to a structurally imbalanced labour market between company demand and the availability of suitable candidates.
The most sought-after roles are heavy goods vehicle drivers, with 12,220 planned hires in March, and warehouse operatives handling goods, with 10,570. They are followed by delivery drivers using company vehicles (3,210) and van drivers (2,700). Demand is lower but growing for warehouse forklift operators (1,990) and warehouse logistics staff (1,580).
However, it is the recruitment difficulty indicator that highlights the sector’s most critical issues. For freight drivers, the share of hires considered difficult by companies reaches 55.3%, meaning more than one in two positions faces concrete obstacles linked to a lack of candidates, inadequate training or a mismatch in expectations. The situation is even more critical for warehouse forklift operators, where recruitment difficulty reaches 71.8%, the highest among operational roles. Warehouse logistics staff stand at 30%, while warehouse operatives are at 25.6%.
In terms of educational requirements, companies in the sector express clear preferences. Vocational qualifications or diplomas in “Logistics systems and services” are among the most sought-after, with 19,580 associated hires and a recruitment difficulty rate of 39.2%. A secondary school diploma in “Transport and logistics” is required for 6,860 positions. Relevant work experience carries significant weight, particularly in transport roles, where it is required in 46.4% of cases, compared with 9.4% for goods handling roles.
The characteristics of the expected workforce confirm several structural trends in the sector. The share of migrant workers among total planned hires stands at 26.7%, above the national average of 24.2%, highlighting the role of foreign labour in ensuring operational continuity. As for young people under 30, logistics offers significant opportunities in certain roles: the expected hiring rate is 32.4% for unskilled delivery staff and 35.3% for administrative logistics roles. In contractual terms, within transport and logistics services, 85.4% of hires are employees, while 6.4% are through agency work.
The geographical distribution of labour demand reflects the country’s production and commercial landscape. Lombardy remains the region with the highest number of planned hires — 89,380 across all sectors — driven by logistics hubs in Milan and Varese. Lazio follows with 47,640 hires and Veneto with 47,090, both regions characterised by well-established infrastructure and distribution networks.
