Unemployment hit 11.9 percent in Italy in November, its highest rate since June 2015, while youth joblessness jumped to 39.4 percent, the highest level since October 2015, official data showed on Monday.
November's overall jobless rate was up 0.2 percent from October, central statistics agency Istat said.
Unemployment among young people aged 15-24 rose 1.8 percentage points in November compared with the previous month, according to Istat.
Pope Francis urged Italians to keep showing social solidarity "at this delicate time in their country's history," in an address to ambassadors at the Vatican on Monday.
Francis especially cited the young in his address, which urged "the creation of conditions for a more equitable distribution of resources, above all for young people."
Prime minister Paolo Gentiloni's new government is seeking to create more jobs to help sustain fragile economic growth in Italy.
Italy's economy expanded 0.3 percent from July to September after near-stagnation in the previous quarter.
The country is has struggled to emerge from its worst recession in 60 years.
