ROME, June 1 (Xinhua) -- More Italians are employed using temporary labor contracts than at any other time since record-keeping began 45 years ago, the government's official data agency reported Wednesday.

       The rise in the number of temporary workers is considered evidence of a changing labor market, with employers less likely to take on full-time workers due to an uncertain economic climate.

       According to the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), nearly 3.17 million Italians were employed via temporary labor contracts in April, the highest number on record. ISTAT started keeping track of detailed employment data in 1977.

       That figure represented an increase of 9,000 compared to March, and 354,000 compared to April last year.

       The vast majority of workers in Italy are still employed with traditional full-time contacts.

       A total of 23.02 million residents in Italy were employed in April, a drop of 12,000 compared to March but an increase of 670,000 compared to April 2021.

       Despite the drop in the number of employed residents compared to the previous month, the overall unemployment rate dropped slightly in April, down 0.1 percentage points to 8.1 percent, and is 1.8 percentage points higher than in April 2021.