The Italian government approved a decree that allows to enter almost 500,000 legal immigrants in the country within the next three years. According to the announcement, the decision concerns the “basic workforce necessary for the national economic and productive system and is not available in the domestic market”.

Although the Melon government has adopted a hard line in migration, the aging of the population and labor market deficiencies are forcing it to turn to legal forms of immigration. The new framework envisions the entry of seasonal and non -seasonal workers, domestic assistants, elderly carers and specialized professionals.

Georgia Meloni, who was elected with a basic slogan to reduce immigrants, has repeatedly stated that legal arrivals are necessary, and the “battle” will continue against irregular immigrants.

Although the number of immigrants who arrived in Italy by sea increased significantly during the first year of the Melonian rule, there was then a significant drop, partly due to agreements signed or renewed with North African countries, such as Tunisia.

The new decree includes privileged treatment for citizens from states promoting campaigns in the media against illegal immigration.

However, critics point out that quotas for legal immigrants are rarely covered. According to the “Ero Straniero” campaign, consisting of organizations in favor of immigration dialogue, only 7.8% of arrivals led to residence permits and stable work last year.

At the same time, Melon’s plan to relocate asylum seekers to Albania remains uncertain. The first group was immediately refuted to Italy after legal objections, and the second group was also ordered to return from the Albanian courts at the end of last year. Italy’s Supreme Court recently expressed “constitutional doubts” about the plan.