The Italian population is shrinking. In 2013, 512,867 children started first grade in school. In 2022, that number had dropped by approximately 100,000. A lack of women and men who should be creating value through economic territories will just not be available if the demographics keep going in this direction, underlined Confindustria Vicenza in a recent analytical report.

Confindustria is the Italian industrial representative body and Vicenza is in the Veneto region, known to be one of Italy's industrial engines and responsbile for a good share of the country's industrial output.

A representative in the regional body, Mario Roberto Carraro explained "there is no third way possible other than to make our country more interesting for foreign workers, as we cannot consider deflation as an alternative."

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New 'migrant flow' decree

It is perhaps one of the reasons why Italy's national government, led by Giorgia Meloni recently approved a new "Migrant Flow Decree," which will authorize the entry of an additional 500,000 foreign workers in the three years between 2026 and 2028.

The current three-year period, running from 2023 to 2025 allowed for 450,000 people to apply for work visas.

In particular, 230,550 quotas are established for workers who do not work only for a season, and the self-employed, and 267,000 for seasonal workers in the agriculture and tourism sectors.

"The increase of quotas is positive, but the Migrant Flows Decree is inefficient," commented Carraro. "We welcome the increase of the quotas for the entry in Italy of foreign workers: it signals opening. However, it is obvious that the current system of the so-called Migrant Flows Decree does not offer an efficient answer to the real need of Italian businesses, and it does not [always equate with the] timing [demanded by industry or create] reliable paths," commented Carraro.

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Calls for a new system

However, Carraro criticized some of the current system, calling for the changes to go even further.

"The so-called 'click days' system [days when migrants are allowed to apply for the visas on-line] even after the changes that were implemented, is based on planning criteria that are only quantitative, and that do not provide an answer to the different needs of the single territories. The system does not take into account the quality of the requests, the professional profiles needed, the continuity of productivity, and the needs of the [various regions and sectors]. The firms need staff with specific qualifications when they are needed, and where they are needed. The current system is rigid and does not work well."

Furthermore Carraro underscored how many businesses, especially in the industrial sector, have moved away from the Migrant Flows Decree channel. "Experience has shown that a good part of the authorized quotas does not translate to actual hiring." Carraro highlighted that there is often a long gap between the click days, which might be at the beginning of the year, and someone actually being able to take up a job.

"Between the long time that goes by, the bureaucracy, operating obstacles, the system loses its appeal. In the province of Vicenza we estimate that by 2035, services will be short of 35,000 workers. Reasoning in the short-term, for the trimester from June-August 2025, we believe that a total of 17,860 new hires would be possible, and probably 52 percent will remain uncovered."

According to Confindustria Vicenza "We must move beyond the principle of fixed numerical quotas, and build a system based on real requests made by the firms, with qualitative criteria: which role is required, location, competences, duration. The hiring must be able to take place all year around, with efficient controls and with the responsibility also of the firms to be allowed to take on the correct management of the required staff."

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