Italy plans to issue approximately half a million new work visas between 2026 and 2028 to address its growing labor shortage.
According to a report, the Italian government will offer nearly 500,000 work permits to non-EU nationals over the next three years. This move aims to open legal immigration channels, fill labor gaps across various sectors, and manage migration through regulated means.
In 2026, Italy will permit 164,850 foreign workers to enter the country legally for employment. By 2028, the government will issue a total of 497,550 work visas.
This marks the second major immigration-related initiative under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration. Earlier, her government approved the issuance of over 450,000 work permits for the period between 2023 and 2025.
While expanding legal pathways for labor migration, Prime Minister Meloni has also enforced a strict stance against irregular migration. Her administration is actively working to reduce unauthorized arrivals and restrict the operations of humanitarian organizations in the Mediterranean.
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Authorities stated that they determined the visa quota based on labor demands reported by social partners and the volume of work permit applications received in previous years.
Italy’s demographic challenges are also driving the new immigration policy. In 2024, the country recorded about 281,000 more deaths than births, causing a population decline of 37,000 and bringing the total population down to 58.93 million.
A recent study suggests that Italy must welcome at least 10 million migrants by 2050 to maintain its current population levels.
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