Fancy a job in Italy? Its cabinet on Monday approved a new migration decree allowing nearly half a million documented foreign nationals—including Indian citizens—to enter the country over the next three years.
The move comes amid a growing labour shortage in the eurozone’s third-largest economy. The Italian government said the decision would facilitate “the entry into Italy of essential labour that is indispensable to the national economic and production system and otherwise unavailable domestically”.
The decree sets an annual cap of 164,850 new entries in 2025, with a target of 497,550 over four years. It is the second such decision under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has now authorised more than 950,000 legal entries since she took office in 2022.
Demand growing despite tough stance on migration
The policy comes despite the ruling coalition’s tough rhetoric on migration. Meloni’s government has repeatedly promised tighter border control and action against undocumented arrivals, but has also admitted that Italy’s ageing population and shrinking workforce require foreign labour.
The latest decree will cover seasonal and non-seasonal workers, home carers, and highly skilled professionals.
“Our government—and many others in Europe—wants to ensure that migration is based on labour market needs. We do not want human traffickers determining who enters; we want democratic, fair systems that give migrants opportunities for integration and decent lives,” said Antonio Bartoli, Italian Ambassador to India.
Opportunity for Indian workers
Speaking at the launch of the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation in New Delhi this May, Bartoli pointed to the demographic gap that links Italy and India.
“We (Italians) are getting older. Currently, 23% of Italy’s population is over 65. By 2050, this will rise to 34%,” he said. “At the same time, India’s working-age population will grow by 63 million by 2030 and 120.8 million by 2040.”
“This ageing trend is creating labour market pressures across multiple key sectors, from healthcare to advanced manufacturing and digital services,” Bartoli said.
In 2024, around 70% of Italian companies reported difficulties recruiting. The government estimates a shortage of:
• 258,000 workers in services like trade, restaurants, and hotels
• 45,000 doctors and 65,000 nurses in healthcare
• 280,000 skilled workers in engineering and green economy sectors
• Specialists in AI, cybersecurity, and data science
The ambassador called this a “natural structural synergy” between the two countries, noting that India could help meet Italy’s labour demand if legal channels were strengthened.
Legal migration takes priority
Bartoli also flagged the importance of maintaining legal pathways and cracking down on irregular entries.
“We do not want to see migration flows controlled by traffickers or unsafe journeys,” he said. “We want regular migration that meets our labour needs and allows for integration.”
Meloni has repeated similar concerns, insisting that while Italy needs some legal migrants, it will continue cracking down on undocumented arrivals.
The latest decree also includes incentives for countries that actively promote legal migration and public messaging against irregular routes.
As per India’s external affairs ministry, 167,333 Indians are currently residing in Italy. With the new decree, this number is expected to grow steadily as more workers enter legally through job-linked permits.