Language skills remain a significant asset in the Italian work market. The analysis, which is based on Indeed data complemented by two Censuswide polls of 500 recruiters and 500 workers in Italy, demonstrates that foreign language proficiency is a top priority for Italian employers during the recruitment process. 96 % of recruiters polled understand its significance, with 36% believing it is an absolute must for many professions. In fact, 86% believe it is more important than it was some years ago. Foreign-language proficiency makes a difference when working with international teams (65%), and is even a prerequisite for accessing certain positions (48%). When it comes to career advancement, more than one-third of recruiters use it as a differentiator (36%). However, it is not always easy to discover qualified applicants. 65% of businesses reported difficulty finding people with the necessary language abilities.