In 2018, nearly 45,000 Italians returned from abroad to resettle in Italy according to figures from Istat, the Italian National Institute of Statistics. This emerging trend of Italians returning home following years of studying and working abroad could be the silver lining for Italy that shines through the decade-long cloud that saw a mind-boggling 816,000 young Italians leaving their homes.

This flight of Italian youth to seek better education and work opportunities abroad led to a hemorrhaging of young, highly-educated talent but there are positive signs that the so-called fuga dei cervelli (brain drain) is reversing.