'Migration and Mobility Agreement' between India and Italy approved by Cabinet

The agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, foster mobility of students, skilled workers, business people and young professionals and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides.

The agreement locks in the current Italian visa regime including mechanisms for post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training assuring an advantage for India under the existing labour mobility pathways under the Flows Decree.

According to the release, after this agreement, the Indian students wishing to gather initial professional experience, after completing academic or vocational training in Italy may be granted temporary residence in Italy for up to 12 months.

The Italian side has detailed provisions related to professional training, extracurricular internships and curricular internships which allow Indian students and trainees to gain experience in Italian skills and training standards.

For workers, the Italian side has reserved a quota of 5000, 6000 and 7000 non-seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024 and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (Total reserved quota stands at 12000 for non-seasonal workers). Additionally, the Italian side has also reserved a quota of 3000, 4000 and 5000 seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024 and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (Total reserved quota stands at 8000 for seasonal workers), the release added.

Under the Flows Decree, the Italian side has also offered incremental reserved quotas for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers from 2023-2025.

Additionally, the Agreement also formalises joint working on furthering mobility pathways between India and Italy through agreements on Youth Mobility and Facilitation of Recruitment of Indian qualified professionals in the healthcare and medical services sectors which will be discussed under the Joint Working Group (JWG).

Cooperation between the two parties in the fight against irregular migration has also been formalised through the Agreement.

"This agreement will come into effect on the first day of the second month following the date of receipt of the last of the two notifications by which parties shall have communicated to each other the completion of their internal procedures necessary for its entry into force and will remain into force for a period of 5 years. Unless terminated by any participant, the agreement will be automatically renewed for a similar successive period," the release stated.

The agreement provides a formal mechanism for its monitoring through a JWG which would meet periodically, in virtual or physical mode as convenient, and oversee its implementation. The JWG would share relevant information, evaluate the implementation of the agreement and discuss all appropriate proposals to support implementation as necessary.

Notably, the agreement was signed on November 2 this year, by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Indian side and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani on the Italian side, the cabinet release added. (ANI)