Italy to Issue 500,000 New Work Permit Visas to Tackle Labor Shortage

On Monday, June 30, Italy's cabinet announced the issuance of 500,000 new work permit visas to address the ongoing labor shortage, according to Reuters. As part of a strategy to expand legal immigration channels, Italy will offer work visas to non-European Union citizens from 2026 to 2028.

In 2026, a total of 164,850 work permits will be granted, with the number progressively increasing to a total of 497,550 by 2028. Since taking office as the leader of a right-wing coalition nearly three years ago, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been easing visa policies. This marks her second major initiative to recruit foreign workers, with the government already approving over 450,000 permits for immigrants between 2023 and 2025.

Alongside facilitating legal immigration, Meloni has taken a tough stance on illegal arrivals. Measures include expediting repatriation processes and regulating the activities of charitable organizations rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean. The cabinet statement highlighted that the visa quotas were determined based on demands expressed by social partners and the actual applications for work permits in previous years. The program aims to meet business needs while maintaining a realistic approach.

The aging population and declining birth rates in the Eurozone have intensified labor shortages, prompting Italy and other countries to relax visa policies to allow skilled workers to enter.

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