As per international media outlets, the Italian government plans to increase legal migration channels for foreign nationals from outside the EU by granting around 500,000 work visas in the next three years. The move aims to cover labor shortages in various sectors as well as encourage a more organized and legal migration process.

For 2026 alone, Italy will permit entry of 164,850 foreign workers through regular employment avenues. By 2028 s end, total legal work visas will number 497,550.

This is the second significant step by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to overhaul immigration policy. The government had earlier permitted more than 450,000 work permits from 2023 to 2025.

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As she establishes additional controlled channels for labor migration, Prime Minister Meloni has also embraced a hardline stance in relation to illegal immigration. Her administration is taking active measures to combat unauthorized crossings on the borders and crack down on the activities of humanitarian organizations in the Mediterranean region.

Officials said the quotas for new visas were determined by labor needs as determined by industry players, as well as recent trends in permit applications made over the years.

Interestingly, Italy s foreign workers policy has many loopholes and weaknesses that leave the policy open to abuse by organized crime groups. In certain instances, even foreign nationals who are already in Italy are seeking visas through the system.

One union leader called for holistically strengthening the country s structure, among them the regularization of illegal workers already in the nation. These steps, they said, would assist employers who are short-staffed and prevent foreign workers from finding themselves in irregular or illegal status.