Resettlement pathways and similar programmes can offer a safe and fresh start to vulnerable refugees around the globe, without the need for dangerous journeys and irregular migration.

As the number of people who find themselves forced to flee their homes is rising globally, Italy's proactive reception of such vulnerable people highlights the importance of regular pathways to safety.

"Over the past ten years, Italy has shown strong leadership in turning solidarity into action," said Chiara Cardoletti, UNHCR Representative for Italy, the Holy See and San Marino.

"Through resettlement, humanitarian corridors, emergency evacuations, and education and labor pathways, Italy has provided concrete alternatives to perilous journeys and made a significant contribution to global responsibility-sharing," she added, stressing that Italy's model could serve as a "powerful example for Europe and beyond."

"Italy has facilitated these corridors for ten years.This proves that when refugees are given an opportunity through safe pathways, they can become self-reliant and strengthen the communities that welcome them," said Filippo Rossi, Operations Coordinator for UNHCR's Regional Bureau for Europe.

Refugees from 24 nations

Italy is at the forefront of irregular arrivals via the Mediterranean but over the past decade, has also developed proactive approaches to save people's lives with humanitarian corridors and planned evacuations.

In October 2015, Italy welcomed its first flight of refugees coming from Lebanon, marking the start of the UNHCR-supported resettlement program, which alone has since provided protection to 3,000 refugees from Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Sudan and other countries.

In 2016, a coalition of Italian faith-based organizations launched and funded the Humanitarian Corridors partnership to transfer the most vulnerable refugees hosted in Ethiopia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Libya, Niger and Iran to Italy; thanks to this initiative, more than 6,000 people have also been received.

In 2019, the project was awarded the UNHCR's regional Nansen Refugee Award.

Italy has also been at the forefront of emergency evacuations from Libya and Niger, ensuring safety for refugees living in extremely difficult conditions.

Approximately 1,500 refugees have accessed reception and integration programs in Italy through the efforts of government institutions, the UNHCR and its partners.

The latest humanitarian evacuation, which took place on 11 December, saw the arrival of 122 refugees, mainly from Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea.

Legal pathways via education and labor mobility

Meanwhile, access to higher education for refugees was also expanded in 2019 through the University Corridors for Refugees (UNICORE) initiative, which was developed with direct input from Italian universities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and civil society organizations.

Students coming mainly from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Cameroon, India and Mozambique have studied in Italy thanks to scholarships offered by 45 Italian universities, contributing their skills and knowledge to the communities hosting them.

In 2023, Italy became one of the first countries to develop a refugee employment program within the framework of labor mobility schemes, promoting self-reliance and inclusion.

Refugees are selected and trained before arriving in Italy with a work visa to take up jobs aligned with the needs of the Italian labor market.

UNHCR also assists local and central government authorities in this program, and helps the companies that benefit from this foreign work force as well as the training institutes that facilitate their upskilling.