Three-year quota creates state-backed pathway to Europe as Pakistan sees record emigration and rise in irregular routes
Pakistanis at Lahore airport. PHOTO: AFP/File
ISLAMABAD:
Italy has opened a rare legal route for Pakistani workers to Europe by giving them a quota of 10,500 jobs over the next three years, a move that authorities say could help curb illegal immigration.
Under the agreement, 3,500 Pakistanis will travel to Italy every year to work under seasonal and non-seasonal schemes, according to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.
Of the annual quota, 1,500 workers will be hired under seasonal contracts, while 2,000 will be placed in non-seasonal jobs.
This allocation makes Italy the first European country to officially open its labor market to Pakistan through a quota-based mechanism. Officials say it could set a precedent for similar agreements with other European states.
This development comes as outbound migration from Pakistan accelerates sharply.
Nearly 2.9 million Pakistanis have left the country over the past three years, driven by low wages, high inflation, unemployment and rising education costs.
The Economic Survey 2024-2025 shows that more than a million Pakistanis went abroad for work in a single fiscal year, highlighting the growing reliance on overseas employment and remittances.
Authorities say the Italian quota offers a legal and structured alternative to irregular migration, which has increased in recent years.
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Illegal migration to Europe jumped 280% in 2022, with thousands of Pakistanis attempting dangerous journeys through Libya, Egypt and other transit routes.
Authorities say many migrants fall prey to smugglers and risk being arrested, deported or killed while crossing the Mediterranean.
By providing state-backed access to Europe, the Italian deal is seen as a way to reduce desperation-driven migration and channel workers onto regulated routes.
Italy has allocated employment quotas to Pakistani workers in the shipbreaking, hospitality, healthcare and agriculture sectors.
Positions include welders, technicians, chefs, waiters, housekeeping staff, nurses, medical technicians, farm workers and agricultural laborers, department officials said.
The program targets skilled and semi-skilled labor, aligning demand for workers with labor shortages in Italy.
Punjab, Pakistan’s largest source of foreign labor, is expected to benefit the most. Official records show the province has sent more than 7.2 million emigrants since 1981.
It is followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
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Studies show that around 40% of Pakistanis, particularly in urban areas, express a desire to leave the country, making the need for safe and legal migration routes even more urgent.
Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the quota was achieved through sustained diplomatic engagement, including a special request to Italian authorities.
Describing the agreement as a “major milestone”, he said the agreement opened new doors for Pakistani workers in the European labor market.
He added that overseas Pakistanis remained “the backbone of the national economy”.
Officials say the momentum is expected to continue.
The second meeting of the Pakistan-Italy joint working group is scheduled for February 2026 in Islamabad. Discussions will focus on implementation and the possibility of extending the quota.
For a country that has seen more than 13.8 million people emigrate since 1981, Italy’s move signals a potential shift from illegal, risky travel to legal, skills-based, state-supported mobility.
