Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni called for the early implementation of a migration and mobility agreement when both leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit held in Italy.
PM Modi travelled to the Apulia region in Italy to participate in the G7 Outreach Summit earlier this week on the invitation of the Italian Prime Minister. This was his first overseas visit since assuming office for the third consecutive term. As per the mobility agreement between India and Italy, once implemented, would facilitate the mobility of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers, students, and researchers between the two partner countries. Discussions on this mobility agreement have been on for some time now.
In late December 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi gave its ex-post facto approval to the proposal of the Ministry of External Affairs to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement between the two countries.
According to the Indian government, the agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, foster the mobility of students, skilled workers, businesspeople, and young professionals, and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides.
According to a release from December, after this agreement, 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.
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 (the 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 (the total reserved quota stands at 8000 for seasonal workers), the December release had said.
