Italy to grant work permits to 425,000 non-EU workers

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni Photo: Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP migrants illegally crossing the Mediterranean to enter Europe.

Rome has announced that it will issue 425,000 work permits to non-EU nationals between this year and 2025, following complaints of staff shortages in sectors such as tourism and construction.

< p>Italy's economy is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, with the Bank of Italy warning that a shortage of skilled workers could jeopardize its recovery plan.

Georgia Prime Minister Meloni's right-wing coalition said the increase would encourage legal migration to fill gaps in the labor market, and that quotas were set after negotiations with employers and trade unions.

Before the pandemic, Italy granted less than 31,000 work permits per year to migrant workers from outside the EU.

An additional 40,000 permits will be issued this year, in addition to the 82,705 already in process.

The government wants to increase the number of permits issued each year gradually, reaching 165,000 in 2025, and expand the number of jobs foreign workers may be eligible for.

Skilled workers such as fishermen, plumbers, nurses, bus drivers, mechanics and construction workers will be welcome in Italy.

Some permits will be reserved for workers from countries that sign agreements to combat illegal migration.

Ms Meloni faced accusations of hypocrisy after the plan was announced. She is the leader of the «Brothers of Italy» organization, which has neo-fascist roots.

She has defended Rishi Sunak's migrant deal with Rwanda, while her far-right league ally Matteo Salvini has European migrants as a threat to Italian culture.< /p>

Laura Boldrini of the centre-left Democratic Party said the high quotas were capitulation and «a bitter dose of reality for those who have built their political career demonizing immigration as a threat to national security.»

Ms Meloni targeted NGOs rescuing people at sea to reduce the number of illegal migrants reaching Italy.

She came under fire in February after at least 94 people drowned when a boat sank just meters off the Italian coast.

Last November, she turned a charity ship with 230 rescued migrants from an Italian port. The ship eventually docked in France.

Ms Meloni pushed for tougher EU action to combat illegal migration, including deals with North African countries to speed up returns.

Night in Friday, 230 hours. Migrants landed on the Italian Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, the main entry point for migrants into Europe.

Coast Guard patrol boats rescued the migrants from six small boats.