A major European destination is set to issue over 10,000 visas for Pakistani skilled workers, signaling a fresh push for legal migration channels and regulated overseas employment.
Italy has indicated it will open a larger legal pathway for Pakistani workers, with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announcing that 10,500 visas will be allocated for Pakistani skilled labor as part of efforts to encourage legal migration.
The announcement followed a meeting in Rome between Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Italian counterpart, where both sides discussed internal security ties and coordinated steps to tackle illegal immigration.
During the talks, Piantedosi said Italy also plans to provide visa-free entry for Pakistani diplomatic passport holders, noting that the matter had been raised earlier by Naqvi and is now being taken forward.
Beyond migration, the two ministers reviewed cooperation in key security areas, including efforts to counter human smuggling networks, drug trafficking, and terrorism. Both sides also acknowledged ongoing measures aimed at disrupting illegal migration routes.
Naqvi told the Italian side that Pakistan has tightened checks and surveillance at airports and maritime borders, which he said has helped bring down illegal departures. Piantedosi, in turn, praised Pakistan’s approach, calling its progress against illegal immigration, trafficking, and narcotics noteworthy.
Italy’s interior minister added that both countries will work to strengthen collaboration in promoting legal migration and expand cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.
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