Italy to Welcome 6,000 Non-Seasonal Indian Workers in 2024: Details of Indo-Italian Labor Agreement

Italy has committed to welcoming 6,000 non-seasonal Indian workers in 2024, with the application process scheduled to open in April, as outlined in the Migration and Mobility Agreement between India and Italy. This agreement, aimed at regulating labor flows between the two countries, sets a total quota of 30,000 workers to be selected for employment in Italy over a three-year period, in response to labor shortages across various sectors in the EU nation.

The decree "Planning of legal entry flows in Italy for Foreign Workers," enacted in 2023, sets the quota for the 2023-2025 period at 151,000, providing a framework for managing the influx of foreign workers into Italy. Under this agreement, Italy plans to recruit a total of 10,000 Indian workers—both seasonal and non-seasonal—for the year 2024, indicating a gradual increase in the trend of hiring Indian workers over the stipulated three-year period. This trend is expected to rise from 8,000 workers in 2023 to a peak of 12,000 in 2025. Non-seasonal workers are offered the option of permanent or regular employment, while seasonal workers are employed on a temporary basis.

Furthermore, the Indo-Italian agreement allows Indian students pursuing academic careers in Italy to remain in the country for up to one year after graduation to pursue their professions, contributing to the overall workforce.

Despite the implementation of the agreement, concerns have been raised by Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale regarding India's high unemployment rates. Gokhale expressed dismay over India exporting laborers abroad due to domestic unemployment. However, India's statistics ministry reports that the country's unemployment rate dropped to 3.1% in 2023, marking the lowest level in three years and indicating positive trends in the job market.

As Italy continues to receive Indian workers to address labor shortages, the agreement underscores ongoing efforts to manage immigration flows and address workforce needs, facilitating collaboration between the two countries in the labor sector.

By fLEXI tEAM