The Community of Sant'Egidio said there is a need to simplify procedures for recognizing foreign degrees so that young refugees who reach Italy may complete their studies and be on their way to start a profession.

During a press conference held on Tuesday (September 5), Marco Impagliazzo, the president of Sant'Egidio, stressed that "regular migration, if it is managed well, goes together with integration and shelter, (and) represents a great resource for Italy."

He highlighted how humanitarian corridors have enabled thousands of migrants to arrive in Italy legally and safely.

'Invest in young migrants'

Impagliazzo urged the government to invest more in the training of young migrants for jobs. "(l)et's take advantage of the presence of thousands of youth and let's make them our own children. Why lose them instead of training them and preparing them for a job?", he asked in light of low birth rates in Italy.

Impagliazzo also urged Europe to take responsibility, emphasizing the need to prevent deaths at sea. He called on Italy to seek assistance from Europe.

He then expressed appreciation for the government's increase for the migrant flow decree but criticized the fact that "the quota for caretakers is too low, inadequate compared to the number of requests of many families who wish to look after the elderly at home." He noted that 9,500 entries are insufficient given the needs of Italian families.

Arrivals to Italy, Europe continue

The number of sea arrivals on Italian shores continues to be high, especially on Lampedusa.

For Europe overall, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on September 5 announced a 28% increase in asylum requests in EU countries, Norway, and Switzerland during the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year.

Between January and the end of June, approximately 519 thousand asylum requests were submitted in these 29 countries. The EUAA estimates that, based on current trends, the number of requests could surpass one million by year-end.