Want to Work and Live in Italy? From Now It Will Be Easier

In an effort to make it simpler for foreign workers and to facilitate their move to Italy, the Italian government introduced changes to the law governing foreigners working in Italy.

SchengenVisaInfo.com reports that the government has strengthened its tools to combat illegal migratory flows as well as crackdown on criminal networks operating trafficking schemes through the new amendments.

The main change will be to extend the validity of renewal residence permits for permanent work, self-employment, and family reunification. It will now be valid up to three years. These permits were valid for two years.

The government also made changes to the quotas that are used to employ foreign workers. This will not happen every year, but rather every three years.

"The quotas of foreigners to be admitted to Italy for subordinate work will be defined, no longer just for one year but for three years (2023-2025), by decree of the President of the Council of Ministers, subject to the opinion - among other things - of the Parliamentary Commissions competent," a joint press release by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and the Ministry of the Interior mentions.

Italy's foreign worker quota in 2023 is 82 705, which is about 7,000 more than 2022 and 12,000 more that 2021.

These changes simplify the process of establishing employment relations with foreigners in Italy. They also speed up the process of granting the no impediment certificate for subordinate work to meet seasonal needs.

The changes also stipulate that applicants from other fields will be given priority over those who apply to Italian agricultural companies.

The Italian authorities are introducing a new crime, "death or injuries" as a result to the criminalization of illegal immigration.

For serious or very severe injuries to one or more persons, for death or for multiple deaths, the penalties will range from ten years to twenty years, to between 15 and 24 years, to 20 years, to 20 years, to 30 years, to those who are involved in these crimes.

Italy has suffered from brain drain and a lack of skilled workers in construction and agricultural fields. This is just like other EU countries. SchengenVisaInfo.com reported previously that 53% of the Tuscany area's agricultural companies hire migrants due to a lack of skilled workers from Italy.

The country also employs foreign workers through its EU Blue Card and allows remote workers to travel and live in Italy with the Italian Digital Nomad Visa.

In order to avoid ambiguities that could lead to improper cases or situations, the new amendments better define "special protection".

Source: schengenvisainfo.com