The Italian government goes big by announcing the first-ever immigration flow (Decreto Flussi) three years in advance. Normally, the Italian government announces an annual quota for seasonal and non-seasonal immigration.
Italy announces Decreto Flussi for 2023, 2024, and 2025. New 452,000 visas
On 3 October 2023, the decree was published in the Official Journal. For this reason, the first applications must be sent starting from 2 December 2023. (waiting for official confirmation from the Ministry).
In the implementation of this provision, on 3 October 2023, the Prime Ministerial Decree of 27 September 2023 (so-called Flow Decree 2023-2025) was published in the Official Journal, which provides for a total quota of 452,000 foreign citizens for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 and defines the entry flow criteria.
Among the common criteria, the reduction of the gap between the size of entry flows and the needs of the labor market stands out, based on incremental planning over the three-year period, consistent with the capacity to welcome and integrate foreign workers into local communities, the extension of economic sectors and the encouragement of the entry of highly qualified workers. Furthermore, further specific criteria are envisaged for entries within and outside the quotas. The quota yearly is as follows:
- 136,000 foreigners for the year 2023,
- 151,000 units for the year 2024,
- 165,000 foreigners for the year 2025.
Decreto Flussi 2023 Application submission dates
Applications can be submitted with the following details:
- for subordinate permit applications for subordinate work reserved to citizens of countries that have cooperation agreements with Italy can be submitted starting from 9 a.m. December 2nd, 2023.
- the rest of the subordinate permit applications can be submitted starting from 9 a.m. December 4th, 2023
- seasonal work permit applications can be submitted starting from 9 a.m. December 12th, 2023.
Applications can be submitted until 31 December 2023. However, for the purposes of acceptance of the application, it is essential to send it within a short time.
For the years 2024 and 2025, requests can be forwarded on 5, 7, and 12 February of each year and up to the respective quotas or, in any case, by 31 December of the reference year.
The implementation methods of the Prime Ministerial Decree in question will be the subject of a specific inter-ministerial circular which will also indicate the documentation useful for the employer’s proof of having verified, at the competent Employment Centre, the unavailability of a worker present on the national territory to fill the job for the requested profile. In this regard, the Decree identifies the following alternative hypotheses of “unavailability”:
- lack of response from the Employment Center within 15 days of the employer’s request;
- the unsuitability of the worker sent by the Employment Center ascertained by the employer;
- failure to present, without justified reason, the workers identified by the Employment Center within 20 days following the request.
Decreto Flussi 2023 Eligible Countries
For the 2023, Decreto Flussi program, the following countries are eligible:
- Albania,
- Algeria,
- Bangladesh,
- Bosnia-Herzegovina,
- Korea (Republic of Korea),
- Ivory Coast,
- Egypt,
- El Salvador,
- Ethiopia,
- Philippines,
- Gambia,
- Georgia,
- Ghana,
- Japan,
- Guatemala,
- India,
- Kyrgyzstan,
- Kosovo,
- Mali,
- Morocco,
- Mauritius,
- Moldova,
- Montenegro,
- Niger,
- Nigeria,
- Pakistan,
- Peru,
- Republic of North Macedonia,
- Senegal,
- Serbia,
- Sri Lanka,
- Sudan,
- Tunisia,
- Ukraine.
Decreto Flussi 2023 Eligible Job Sectors
The following job sectors have been set aside as eligible for the immigration program:
- freight transportation on behalf of third parties,
- building,
- hospitality and tourism,
- mechanics,
- telecommunications,
- food,
- shipbuilding,
- transportation of passengers by bus,
- fishing,
- hairdressing,
- electricians,
- plumbers,
- family care and support services.
Non-seasonal subordinate work and self-employment
For reasons of non-seasonal subordinate work in certain sectors (e.g. transport, construction, tourism-hotel, and telecommunications) and self-employment, 53,450 units are admitted in Italy for 2023, 61,950 units for 2024, and 71,450 units for 2025. Within these quotas, admissions are distributed as follows:
| Subjects | Year | Non-seasonal subordinate | Autonomous |
| Workers from countries that promote media campaigns on irregular immigration | 2023 | 1,900 | 100 |
| 2024 | 2,380 | 120 | |
| 2025 | 2,850 | 150 | |
| Workers from countries that have signed cooperation agreements on migration (e.g. Algeria, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Philippines, India, Morocco, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Ukraine) or are about to do so | 2023 | 37,000 | |
| 2024 | 45,000 | ||
| 2025 | 53,000 | ||
| Workers of Italian origin residing in Venezuela | 2023 | 90 | 10 |
| 2024 | 90 | 10 | |
| 2025 | 90 | 10 | |
| Stateless people and refugees | 2023 | 180 | 20 |
| 2024 | 180 | 20 | |
| 2025 | 180 | 20 | |
| Workers who will be employed in the family and social-health care sector | 2023 | 9,500 | – |
| 2024 | 9,500 | ||
| 2025 | 9,500 | ||
| Subjects in possession of residence permits for seasonal work to be converted into residence permits for subordinate work | 2023 | 4,000 | – |
| 2024 | 4,000 | ||
| 2025 | 5,000 | ||
| Subjects in possession of EU residence permits for long-term residents to be converted into residence permits for work | 2023 | 100 | 50 |
| 2024 | 100 | 50 | |
| 2025 | 100 | 50 | |
| Entrepreneurs (with investments of no less than €500,000 or innovative start-ups), freelancers, corporate office holders and artists | 2023 | – | 500 |
| 2024 | – | 500 | |
| 2025 | – | 500 | |
| Total | 2023 | 52,770 | 680 |
| 2024 | 61,250 | 700 | |
| 2025 | 70,720 | 730 |
Seasonal work
Furthermore, entry into Italy for seasonal subordinate work in the agricultural and tourism-hotel sectors is permitted for citizens of the above-mentioned countries within the limit of 82,550 units for 2023, 89,050 units for 2024, and 93,550 units for 2025. Within these quotas, entries are distributed as follows:
| Subjects | Year | Seasonal subordinate |
| Workers from countries that promote media campaigns on irregular immigration | 2023 | 2,500 |
| 2024 | 3,000 | |
| 2025 | 3,500 | |
| Workers from countries that sign specific cooperation agreements on migration | 2023 | 8,000 |
| 2024 | 12,000 | |
| 2025 | 14,000 | |
| Stateless people and refugees | 2023 | 50 |
| 2024 | 50 | |
| 2025 | 50 | |
| Seasonal workers who have already worked in Italy at least once in the previous 5 years | 2023 | 2,000 |
| 2024 | 2,000 | |
| 2025 | 2,000 | |
| Workers in the agricultural sector whose requests are presented by the most representative professional employers’ organizations | 2023 | 40,000 |
| 2024 | 41,000 | |
| 2025 | 42,000 | |
| Workers in the tourism sector whose requests are presented by the most representative professional organizations of employers | 2023 | 30,000 |
| 2024 | 31,000 | |
| 2025 | 32,000 | |
| Total | 2023 | 82,550 |
| 2024 | 89,050 | |
| 2025 | 93,550 |
Source: Business Insider, Jago News 24, Dhaka Post.