Rome, 30 October 2024 – Tuscany confirms itself among the main Italian regions for the integration of the foreign populationwith 429,864 migrant residents in 2023, a 3.5% increase from the previous year. The share of foreigners in Tuscany stands at 11.7%, exceeding the national average by almost three points. The provinces with the highest percentages are Prato (22.4%) and Florence (13.4%), with the Romanian, Chinese, Albanian, Moroccan and Senegalese communities among the most represented.
Migrants, foreign entrepreneurs are growing in Tuscany
Despite the growth of the foreign population, the economic data show contrasting trends: in 2023 there was a drop from 12.6% to 11.9% in the presence of foreign workers on the regional total, with a reduction of around 9,000 workers compared to 2022. However, “immigrant” businesses have seen growth of 2.7% in the last yearreaching 62,775, and an increase of 11.6% compared to 2018. Tuscany represents 9.5% of Italian immigrant businesses, with Prato in the lead (33.2%) and Florence second (18.7%) . Second Francesco Palettieditor of the Dossier, the paradox of the decrease in foreign workers compared to the increase in foreign companies is linked to the presence of undeclared work in some foreign companies and to the crisis in sectors such as fashion, which led to layoffs. The secretary of the CGIL Toscana, Gessica Beneforti, also underlines the impact of the Cutro decree, which with more complex procedures makes regular entry into the job market more difficult.
In the scholastic context, the 2022/23 school year saw a slight recovery in foreign students (+1.8%), which went from 71,474 to 72,769, returning to pre-pandemic levels. On the other hand, those born in Italy to foreign parents are decreasing (-0.8%), a sign of a decline in the so-called second generations, which still represent 15.1% of Tuscan students. Reception has also seen a significant increasewith a +37.6% of guests in Tuscan reception centers compared to 2022, reaching 9,788 people. The Region, through the Immigration Councilor, continues to reiterate its opposition to the establishment of a Repatriation Center (CPR) in Tuscany, focusing instead on integration paths as a concrete alternative for constructive social coexistence.