497,550 is the number of work visas that must be issued to non -European citizens between 2026 and 2028. A few months after their accession to power, Giorgia Meloni, who promised to close the borders, had adopted a similar decree authorizing the issuance of 450,000 permits.
In total, in 5 years, the energy coalition will have brought almost a million extra -communications workers in the country. So that? To respond to labor shortage. This “legal and controlled immigration” and “essential for the national economic system” explains the authorities.
Fees are planned to strengthen the number of seasonal workers, especially in agricultural and tourist sectors.
Business leaders welcome the initiative. Italian employers have not continued for years to denounce the lack of workforce.
The Coldiretti Agricultural Union also welcomes. For him, it is “an important step to guarantee a sufficient number of workers in fields and food production chains in the country.”
“Migrant machine in an irregular situation”
But the system remains hindered by bureaucratic stars, slow and complex procedures. Visas are not systematically issued by prefectures, companies must recruit people whose profile know. In addition, some migrants, after having obtained their title, cannot afford to finance their trip.
On average, it flows between a year and a year and a half before a worker could appear in his workplace. Positions are sometimes not empty.
Consequence: Last year, only 7.8% of tickets became a residence permit and stable works according to Ero Straniero, an organization that struggles to promote legal immigration. It requires an in -depth review of the current system to avoid referrals.
In fact, there is dysfunction, recognizes Giorgia Meloni. The government promises to act and there is an emergency.
Economy threatened
Last year, the number of deaths exceeded the number of births. The aging of the population, the fall in the birth rate and the emigration of the Italians, which increased by a level between 2023 and 2024, greatly weighs in the economy.
Fabio Panetta, governor of the Bank of Italy, regularly reiterates his plea in favor of an “influx of regular foreign workers to strengthen the human capital of Italy, improve their growth, strengthen its productivity, increase its competitiveness.”
The third euro zone economy has no choice. If nothing is done, it must wait a 13 to 17% fall from GDP by 2050 warns the IMF.
Source: BFM TV
