The new quotas are determined based on employer demand and prior years’ applications, aiming to provide a realistic and business-responsive framework for legal migration.

The move comes as Italy faces a worsening demographic crisis. In 2024, there were 281,000 more deaths than births, and the population fell by 37,000 to 58.93 million, continuing a decade-long decline.

The birth rate hit a record low, with only 370,000 babies born in 2024, the lowest since Italy’s unification in 1861. Without foreign labor, experts warn that the Italian economy—Europe’s third largest—would struggle to maintain productivity, especially in sectors like agriculture, construction, and hospitality.

While expanding legal channels, Meloni’s government has simultaneously tightened controls on illegal migration, speeding up repatriations and restricting the activities of charities involved in Mediterranean sea rescues.

According to research by the Osservatorio Conti Pubblici, Italy would need to welcome at least 10 million immigrants by 2050 just to maintain its current population levels.

The new decree, known as the decreto flussi, will be implemented in phases, with applications for work permits granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Certain highly skilled and specialized categories remain exempt from these quotas. The policy has been welcomed by business and agricultural groups as a vital step to ensure workforce availability and economic stability.