More money in the paycheck through the tax relief on contractual increases, productivity bonuses and night and weekend work. The government is starting to reveal the cards on the 2027 budget and one of the main chapters will once again be work.
Indicating the way is Minister Marina Calderone, who in an interview with the Messaggero announces her intention to “replicate the 2026 work package to provide continuity”. The objective, he explains, is to intervene directly on wages and at the same time incentivize employment and productivity.
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First of all, on the table are the tax relief on salary increases deriving from the renewal of collective agreements and that of productivity bonuses. The government also aims to lighten the tax burden on the increases paid to those who work at night, on holidays or on shifts.
Part of the strategy should also concern corporate welfare and employee participation in company results. “The objective is to concentrate resources where they generate more income, more productivity and more quality employment,” says Calderone.
The political line is confirmed by Fratelli d’Italia. Giovanni Donzelli, party organization manager, describes the 2027 maneuver as “the maneuver to help the middle class and the productive class”, arguing that it will also serve to complete the program with which the center-right presented itself at the elections.
The employment numbers claimed by the government
Calderone also claims the results obtained in recent years. In July, there were 24 million and 370 thousand people employed in Italy, approximately 1.14 million more than in October 2022. In the same period, permanent employees increased by over 1.3 million. The unemployment rate fell to 5.8%, below the European average. However, the data must be read together with that of the Italian employment rate, which remains much lower than that of the other large European countries.
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The figure for young people who do not study, work or follow training courses also significantly improves. According to Eurostat, in 2025 NEETs between 15 and 29 years old represented 13.3% of the population of that age group: ten years earlier they were 25.7%. Italy has therefore almost halved the phenomenon, while remaining above the EU average of 11%.
The issue of women and motherhood
One of the other dossiers destined to be included in the maneuver concerns women’s work. The minister announces a rationalization of existing incentives and insists on the need to transform maternity aid into structural measures.
“A woman must not be forced to choose between motherhood and work,” says Calderone, indicating the objective of strengthening the tools linked to parenthood and female participation in the labor market.
The decisive game, however, will be that of resources. The political intentions are now quite clear: less taxes on some components of remuneration and incentives concentrated on stable work, productivity, young people and women. To know how much wages will actually increase, we will have to wait for the numbers in the budget law.
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