Italy's big announcement for Pakistan: 10,500 skilled workers to be issued work permits

Rome: A significant development has emerged in high-level diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Italy, where after a detailed meeting between Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi in the Italian capital Rome, it was announced that Italy will issue work permits to a total of 10,500 Pakistani skilled workers to promote legal migration. This development is being seen as giving a new dimension to mutual trust, economic cooperation and security partnership between the two countries. In the meeting, detailed discussions were held on making internal security, prevention of illegal migration, human trafficking, counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism cooperation more effective between Pakistan and Italy and it was emphasized that legal and orderly exchange of manpower is in the interest of both countries.

The Italian Interior Minister announced that these permits will be issued in phases and under a planned plan, around 3,500 Pakistani skilled workers will be provided with the opportunity to work in Italy every year. The aim of these permits is to deter young people from trying to reach Europe through illegal and dangerous routes and to provide them with safe, regular and legal means. According to officials, this measure will not only meet Italy’s manpower needs but also bring economic benefits to Pakistan, as remittances from people working abroad are expected to increase.

According to available information, these work permits will include both seasonal and non-seasonal types. Seasonal permits will be specifically reserved for the agricultural sector, horticulture, fruit and vegetable harvesting and other seasonal activities, where additional manpower is required for a limited period each year. Non-seasonal permits can be provided in fields such as construction, industrial factories, mechanical and electrical skills, welding, plumbing, machine operators, hospitality sector and health services. According to sources, some non-seasonal permits can become a source of long-term employment and extension of the period of stay may also be possible if the prescribed legal requirements are met.

During the meeting, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi highlighted that Pakistan has taken strict and effective measures to prevent illegal migration in the recent past. He said that the surveillance system at airports, land crossings and sea borders has been developed on modern lines, operations against fake travel documents have been intensified and a crackdown has been carried out against networks involved in human trafficking, which has resulted in a significant reduction in attempts to go abroad illegally. The Italian Interior Minister appreciated these measures and said that the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and related agencies of Pakistan are commendable and this cooperation should be further expanded.

The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of information exchange, training and technical assistance to effectively combat challenges such as organized crime, human trafficking and drug trafficking. Another important decision taken on the occasion was that Pakistani diplomatic passport holders will be exempted from visa requirements for travel to Italy, which will facilitate official-level contacts and exchange of bilateral delegations. According to experts, the Italian economy is in need of skilled manpower in certain sectors, especially in the fields of agriculture and construction, and the provision of trained manpower from a country like Pakistan can be beneficial for both countries. Analysts say that if the project is implemented in a transparent and systematic manner, it can emerge as a successful model of legal migration that will help eliminate illegal routes. This development is being described as an important milestone in Pakistan-Italy relations and it is expected that economic and security cooperation will further strengthen in the coming years, while thousands of Pakistani families will have access to decent employment opportunities abroad and the atmosphere of trust and partnership between the two countries will be strengthened.written by malik sarfraz hussain awan