Italy’s unemployment rate in November of last year dropped to 7.5% from 7.7% in October, due to the addition of 30,000 jobs during that month. The national statistics bureau, ISTAT, reported significant job growth in the latter part of the year, with 130,000 jobs added in the three months leading up to November. This was a 0.6% increase in employment compared to the June-to-August period.

Comparing November’s employment stats with those from the same month the prior year, an impressive figure of 520,000 jobs were created, marking a 2.2% increase. Italy also saw a notable decline in youth unemployment, which dropped to 21.0% in November from 23.6% in October. This is the lowest recorded level of youth joblessness since April 2008.

The positive employment numbers are in stark contrast to Italy’s economy, which only saw a marginal growth of 0.1% in Q3 of last year compared to the previous quarter. The economy had contracted by 0.4% between April and June. As such, ISTAT continues to project a weak economic outlook in the near term for Italy.

Despite this, the broader employment rate in Italy, one of the lowest in the Euro zone, remained steady in November, coming in at 61.8%. The November statistics as provided by ISTAT are as follows: the jobless rate was at 7.5%, youth unemployment (ages 15-24) was at 21.0%, and the employment rate (ages 15-64) was at 61.8%.