Italy grapples with demographic crisis, government rolls out economic plan
The Italian government is engaging migrants as a workforce (Photo: twitter.com/HRDefsEN)
Italy intends to issue almost 500,000 new work visas for citizens of third countries over the coming years, Reuters reports.
According to the plan, 164,850 entry permits will be granted in 2026, with the total number reaching 497,550 by 2028.
This marks the second similar decision by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which has led the center-right coalition since 2022. Earlier, the government approved over 450,000 work permits for migrants between 2023 and 2025.
The statement notes that the quotas were set based on the needs expressed by social partners and the actual number of visa applications submitted in previous years. The program aims to meet business demands with a realistic and practical approach.
At the same time, alongside liberalizing legal labor migration channels, the Italian government maintains a tough stance on illegal arrivals, accelerating repatriation procedures, and restricting the activities of charitable organizations involved in migrant rescues in the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy’s demographic challenge
Amid an aging population and negative natural growth, Italy continues to experience a decline in its number of residents.
In 2024, the country recorded 281,000 more deaths than births, leading to a population decrease of 37,000, bringing the total to 58.93 million people.
The agricultural association Coldiretti welcomed the government’s decision, emphasizing that it is an important step toward ensuring sufficient labor in agriculture and supporting national food production.
“The government will continue with determination to allow legal migration channels, benefiting important sectors of our economy,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi in an interview with La Stampa on Sunday.
According to research by the Osservatorio Conti Pubblici analytical center, Italy will need to accept at least 10 million migrants by 2050 to maintain its current population level.
Migration to Italy and the EU
Italy remains one of the European Union’s countries most affected by illegal migration. Most migrants arrive from Africa aboard homemade boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2023, more than 17,000 migrants reached Italy this way, with hundreds tragically dying during the sea crossing.
For example, in December 2022, around 500 migrants from North Africa landed in Italy. Later, hundreds more were rescued from boats approximately 160 kilometers off the southern Italian coast.
Meanwhile, since the beginning of this year, over 100,000 people have left Ukraine for EU countries.
