Latest news with #Coldiretti
Local Italy
01-07-2025
- Business
- Local Italy
Italy to issue close to 500,000 non-EU work visas over next three years
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government said a total of 497,550 work visas would be issued over the 2026-2028 period, starting with around 165,000 in 2026. This was up from the 450,000 visa quota set by the government for the 2023-2025 period. Meloni, the leader of Italy's Brothers of Italy party, has sought to reduce the number of undocumented migrants entering Italy. But her government has also increased pathways for legal migration for non-EU workers in a bid to tackle labour shortages in an ageing country with a sluggish birth rate. Over half (around 267,000) of the total number of visas set to be made available over the next three years would be destined for seasonal workers in the agricultural and tourism sectors, the government said. Italy's main agricultural lobby, Coldiretti, welcomed the new visa plan as an "important step forward to ensure the availability of workers in the fields [and] food production". But a top official of Italy's largest trade union, CGIL, said the new quota did not address migration dynamics and labour needs. Maria Grazia Gabrielli stressed that the number of visa applications has been far lower than the available quotas in recent years. Between 2023 and 2024, only 7.5 to 7.8 percent of the visas made available by Italy's Ministry of Labour were converted into residency permits, she said in a statement. Gabrielli criticised the government's policy of prioritising applicants from countries that discourage their nationals from illegally migrating to Italy. A 2023 decree established special immigration quotas for nations helping Italy fight human traffickers and conduct media campaigns warning of the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean. Gabrielli said the system "takes no account whatsoever of migration dynamics and the need for a response that does not focus on punitive logic and rewards". Italy's immigration policies have long been fraught with weak spots and vulnerabilities, with criminal networks known to exploit the system to bring migrants into the country illegally. Gabrielli said a structural reform was needed to help employers recruit foreign labour and protect workers from traffickers.
Express Tribune
01-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Italy to issue 500,000 non-EU work visas over three years
Listen to article Italy's hard-right government has agreed to issue 500,000 visas for non-EU workers over the next three years, but a top trade union warned Tuesday that only structural change would tackle labour shortages. The government of far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said a total of 497,550 workers would be allowed in over the 2026-2028 period, starting with around 165,000 in 2026. This is up from the 450,000 quota set by Meloni's government for 2023-2025 period -- itself a sharp increase on the 75,700 quota for 2022 and around 70,000 for 2021. Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has sought to reduce the number of undocumented migrants to Italy. But her government has also increased pathways for legal migration for non-EU workers to tackle labour shortages in an ageing country with a sluggish birth rate. The greatest number of visas over the next three years -- some 267,000 -- will be given for seasonal work in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Italy's main agricultural lobby, Coldiretti, welcomed the new visa plan as an "important step forward to ensure the availability of workers in the fields, and with it, food production". But a top official in the CGIL trade union -- Italy's oldest and largest -- said Tuesday the new quotas did not address migration dynamics and labour needs. Maria Grazia Gabrielli pointed to the number of applications that were far lower than the available quotas, with the exception of domestic work. In 2023 and 2024, only 7.5-7.8 percent of the quotas actually resulted in a residence permit, she said in a statement, pointing to their ineffectiveness. Gabrielli criticised the government's policy of prioritising applicants from countries who discourage their nationals from illegally migrating to Italy. A 2023 decree allowed preferential quotas from countries, such as those in North Africa, who help Italy fight human traffickers and conduct media campaigns warning of the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean. She called it a system "that takes no account whatsoever of the reasons for migration dynamics and the need for a response that does not focus on punitive logic and rewards for some countries". Italy's foreign worker policy is fraught with loopholes and possibilities for fraud, with criminal gangs exploiting the system and even foreign workers already in Italy applying for visas. The union leader said structural work was needed -- including regularising workers already in Italy -- to help employers struggling to find labour and to try to keep foreign workers out of irregular situations.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Italy boosts legal work visas, as union says policy falls short
ROME: Italy's hard-right government has agreed to issue 500,000 visas for non-EU workers over the next three years, but a top trade union warned Tuesday that only structural change would tackle labour shortages. The government of far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said a total of 497,550 workers would be allowed in over the 2026-2028 period, starting with around 165,000 in 2026. This is up from the 450,000 quota set by Meloni's government for 2023-2025 period -- itself a sharp increase on the 75,700 quota for 2022 and around 70,000 for 2021. Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has sought to reduce the number of undocumented migrants to Italy. But her government has also increased pathways for legal migration for non-EU workers to tackle labour shortages in an ageing country with a sluggish birth rate. The greatest number of visas over the next three years -- some 267,000 -- will be given for seasonal work in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Italy's main agricultural lobby, Coldiretti, welcomed the new visa plan as an 'important step forward to ensure the availability of workers in the fields, and with it, food production'. But a top official in the CGIL trade union -- Italy's oldest and largest -- said Tuesday the new quotas did not address migration dynamics and labour needs. Maria Grazia Gabrielli pointed to the number of applications that were far lower than the available quotas, with the exception of domestic work. In 2023 and 2024, only 7.5-7.8 percent of the quotas actually resulted in a residence permit, she said in a statement, pointing to their ineffectiveness. Gabrielli criticised the government's policy of prioritising applicants from countries who discourage their nationals from illegally migrating to Italy. A 2023 decree allowed preferential quotas from countries, such as those in North Africa, who help Italy fight human traffickers and conduct media campaigns warning of the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean. She called it a system 'that takes no account whatsoever of the reasons for migration dynamics and the need for a response that does not focus on punitive logic and rewards for some countries'. Italy's foreign worker policy is fraught with loopholes and possibilities for fraud, with criminal gangs exploiting the system and even foreign workers already in Italy applying for visas. The union leader said structural work was needed -- including regularising workers already in Italy -- to help employers struggling to find labour and to try to keep foreign workers out of irregular situations.
MTV Lebanon
30-06-2025
- Business
- MTV Lebanon
Italy to issue half million non-EU work visas over next three years
Italy will issue nearly 500,000 new work visas for non-EU nationals from 2026 to 2028, a cabinet statement said on Monday, as part of a strategy to expand legal immigration channels in response to labour shortages. A total 164,850 people will be allowed in next year, aiming to reach a cumulative total of 497,550 new entries by 2028. It is the second such move Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made since she took office nearly three years ago as the head of a right-wing coalition. The government had already decided to issue over 450,000 permits to migrants between 2023 and 2025. Alongside rules to allow in new workers, Meloni has taken a tough stance against illegal arrivals, moving to speed up repatriations and curbing the activities of charities rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean. "The quotas were determined taking into account the needs expressed by the social partners and the actual applications for work permits submitted in previous years, with the aim of a programme that responds to the needs of businesses and is also realistic," the statement said. An ageing population and a sagging birthrate highlight the need to attract foreign workers in the euro zone's third largest economy. There were some 281,000 more deaths than births in 2024 and the population fell by 37,000 to 58.93 million, continuing a decade-long trend. Agricultural lobby Coldiretti welcomed the government's plan, saying it represented an important step to guarantee the availability of workers in the fields and the country's food production. "The government will continue with determination to allow legal migration channels, benefiting important sectors of our economy," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told daily La Stampa on Sunday. To counter the ongoing depopulation and maintain current levels of inhabitants, Italy would need to take in at least 10 million immigrants by 2050, according to research by the Osservatorio Conti Pubblici think tank.
GMA Network
30-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Italy to issue half million non-EU work visas over next three years
ROME, Italy - Italy will issue nearly 500,000 new work visas for non-EU nationals from 2026 to 2028, a cabinet statement said on Monday, as part of a strategy to expand legal immigration channels in response to labor shortages. A total 164,850 people will be allowed in next year, aiming to reach a cumulative total of 497,550 new entries by 2028. It is the second such move Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made since she took office nearly three years ago as the head of a right-wing coalition. The government had already decided to issue over 450,000 permits to migrants between 2023 and 2025. Alongside rules to allow in new workers, Meloni has taken a tough stance against illegal arrivals, moving to speed up repatriations and curbing the activities of charities rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean. "The quotas were determined taking into account the needs expressed by the social partners and the actual applications for work permits submitted in previous years, with the aim of a programme that responds to the needs of businesses and is also realistic," the statement said. An ageing population and a sagging birthrate highlight the need to attract foreign workers in the euro zone's third largest economy. There were some 281,000 more deaths than births in 2024 and the population fell by 37,000 to 58.93 million, continuing a decade-long trend. Agricultural lobby Coldiretti welcomed the government's plan, saying it represented an important step to guarantee the availability of workers in the fields and the country's food production. "The government will continue with determination to allow legal migration channels, benefiting important sectors of our economy," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told daily La Stampa on Sunday. To counter the ongoing depopulation and maintain current levels of inhabitants, Italy would need to take in at least 10 million immigrants by 2050, according to research by the Osservatorio Conti Pubblici think tank. — Reuters
