Italy is a European country on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea and is home to Vatican City, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. It has a population of more than 60 million people. The vibrant city of Florence is best known for being the epicenter of the Renaissance, which led to the creation of masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s David.

Its capital city of Rome is best known for housing historical sites such as the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain, while the city of Milan is famous for its football team and for hosting the world-famous Milan Fashion Week.

Apart from its rich history and culture, Italy is also the home of one of the most sought-after cuisines which include pizza, pasta, lasagna, and spaghetti bolognese.

With so much to offer to the world, it is only natural that foreign workers migrate to Italy in search of better employment opportunities and to explore what this 3000-year-old culture has to offer.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased influx of foreign workers into the country, the Italian government has amended its immigration laws for workers. The following changes have been made to the employment and labor law in Italy.

Undergoing a Swab Test

All travelers and foreign workers who are entering Italy must undergo a compulsory swab test 48 hours before entering Italy. Only travelers and workers that have valid travel documents such as a visa or a work permit and have tested negative for the virus will be allowed entry into the country.

However, on April 2, 2021, the Ordinance of the Minister of Health introduced its travel restrictions for people who have made a transit within the last 14 days from the countries that are included in List C, such as United Kingdom, Austria, Israel, and Belgium. You can check the complete list here.

Mandatory 5-Day Quarantine

Similarly, all travelers including foreign workers who are entering Italy must quarantine themselves for a period of 5 days. During these 5 days, foreign workers who have a valid work permit will be kept under strict surveillance to ensure they do not leave their premises and are following all the instructions such as complete self-isolation to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

The 5-day quarantine is mandatory for all travelers entering Italy regardless of the results of their swab tests. This is a precautionary measure to validate that the foreign workers did not come in contact with the virus on the airport or plane and hence cannot be considered carriers of the deadly Coronavirus.

Possibility of a Migrant Regulation Program

There are more than 560,000 undocumented migrant workers that are considered to be living and working in Italy illegally. In many cases, these migrant workers were duped by agents and were hired by needy employers without a proper work permit who subjected them to labor exploitation.

And even though the foreign workers who have traveled to Italy or are living there illegally can be arrested and deported, the country recognizes the deficiency of labor in its agricultural sector and continues to hire cheap foreign labor from developing or underdeveloped nations.

To protect the livelihood of agriculturalists during the peak economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the government agreed to regularize undocumented migrant workers and offer them a pathway to residency.

However, there has been much criticism against this policy and its effectiveness as human rights activists argue that this just increases the risk of exploitation for foreign workers.

Therefore, as a new foreign worker traveling to Italy, it is highly recommended you have the necessary documents along with a verified work permit for living and working in Italy. To find out more about required documentation for work permits, visit aadmi.com