A larger number of Italians opted to leave their country last year than the year before, increasing by more than 6%.
The data showed that 107,529 Italians emigrated in 2015. The majority, 37%, were aged between 18 and 34.
This was called a “brain drain” by the Fondazione Migrantes which compiled the data, saying that these are the people who have had the highest average level of education.
Its report recognised that this same group suffers from the highest unemployment levels, forcing many to seek work or study abroad.
For this generation "the choice is not so much whether to leave, but whether to stay", the report added.
The next greatest percentage was those aged 35 to 49, comprising 25% of migrants.
Only 6% were older than 65, and this was the sole age group where the percentage moving abroad declined.
While Italians from the poorer south have traditionally been the ones to up sticks, last year a larger proportion from the wealthier north also made the move.
Their destinations were peppered largely around Europe (70%), with Germany in the lead followed closely by the UK (16,503), Switzerland and France.
A total of 4,636,647 Italians are registered as living abroad, a number which has increased by 3.7% since 2014.
