The Italian government is considering measures to facilitate legal immigration after Sunday’s shipwreck off the coast of Calabria, several Italian media outlets reported on Thursday 2 March.
In particular, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is developing a legal migration plan after Sunday’s deadly shipwreck off the coast of Calabria, which killed 68 people.
This plan would be designed to bring in migrants legally to fill positions in different employment sectors.
“Italy has received more than half a million requests to enter the country in recent months to work in the production, agriculture, transport and service sectors”, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, as quoted in the media.
“We have been neglecting [the creation of a] migration plan for years, which [would create] opportunities for those who wish to come to our country legally and safely”, he added.
The Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, also announced his intention to further strengthen legal entry channels. He said the government was working to find ways to respond to the 500,000 requests.
Contacted by EUROPE, the Commission said it was not involved in any plans to help Italy with legal migration, but that it continues to support the country through the ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)