Italy has created a rare and significant legal opportunity for Pakistani workers by allocating a quota of 10,500 jobs over the next three years, a move aimed at reducing illegal migration to Europe. Under the agreement, 3,500 Pakistanis will be allowed to travel to Italy each year through seasonal and non-seasonal employment schemes, according to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.
Each year, 1,500 workers will be hired under seasonal arrangements, while 2,000 will be placed in non-seasonal jobs. This makes Italy the first European country to formally open its labour market to Pakistan through a structured, quota-based system, a step officials believe could encourage similar arrangements with other European states.
The development comes as outward migration from Pakistan continues to rise sharply due to inflation, unemployment and low wages. Government data shows more than one million Pakistanis left the country for work in a single fiscal year, highlighting the growing dependence on overseas employment and remittances.
Officials say the Italian quota provides a legal alternative to irregular migration, which has surged in recent years. The scheme covers sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, hospitality and shipbreaking, targeting skilled and semi-skilled workers.
Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain called the agreement a major milestone, saying it opened new doors for Pakistani workers in Europe and strengthened economic ties between the two countries.
