"The latest decree on labor migration, passed today by the lower chamber of Parliament in its conversion into law, once again fails to address the severe limits of a system that is 'broken', as Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Alfredo Mantovano, described it, and merely introduces partial adjustments whose impact will in any case be undermined by the current regulatory framework," the groups stated.

The statement was signed by the organizations promoting the Ero Straniero campaign: A Buon Diritto, ActionAid, the Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration (ASGI), the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI), Oxfam, ARCI, the National Coordination of Welcoming Communities (CNCA) and the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD).

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'Nothing done to stop irregularities'

The groups acknowledged "some positive elements" in the decree, pointing towards a "progressive dismantling" of the rigid quota system, such as extra-quota entries in the elderly-care and severe-disability sectors.

However, they stressed that "nothing has been done, by the government first, and then during the bill's passage through the chamber, to address the most serious consequences of the current legal framework, namely the creation of irregularity among workers who entered Italy through the Migration Flow decree."

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'A majority of foreign workers at risk of exploitation'

"Data from the Interior Ministry (updated to June 2025) clearly shows that only a small share of people admitted through the recent click days -- 20 percent of 2023 applicants and 12 percent of those from 2024 -- have signed an employment contract and obtained a work permit. The rest are very likely living in the country in total precarity and without documents, exposed to exploitation," the associations warned.

The Ero Straniero campaign reiterated that "the only urgent measure" is the issuance of a temporary residency permit to allow those affected to look for new employment.

"Above all, a comprehensive reform of the labor-migration entry system can no longer be postponed, starting with the abolition of click days and the introduction of diversified and flexible channels, as outlined in the campaign's proposals."

Launched in 2017, the Ero Straniero campaign is promoted by a network of secular and religious organizations committed to placing migration-flow management and the need for systemic reform at the center of public debate.

The expression "Ero Straniero" (I was a foreigner) is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, 25:43, where Jesus says: "I was a foreigner and you did not take me in," invoking compassion and charity towards strangers.

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