A series of first-hand accounts published this morning by Rome-based outlet Fanpage.it lays bare the human cost of Italy’s flagship labour-migration programme, the Decreto Flussi. The investigation follows Anan, a 22-year-old Bangladeshi who paid intermediaries the equivalent of €25,000 for the promise of a hotel job in Salerno and an entry visa issued under the 2024 quota. When he landed at Rome-Fiumicino on a perfectly valid visa, the contact who was supposed to accompany him to the prefecture vanished. Within weeks the hotel withdrew its ‘nulla osta’ (work authorisation) and Anan slipped into irregular status despite desperately seeking legitimate employment.
Lawyers and NGO workers interviewed by Fanpage estimate that only 7–13 percent of the work permits allocated under recent quota decrees are actually converted into residency permits, leaving tens of thousands in limbo each year. Because current rules give the employer—not the worker—full control over signing the final contract at the one-stop immigration office, bad-faith recruiters can simply disappear, nullifying the visa and trapping the migrant in debt.
![€25,000 for a Job in Rome? Migrant Workers Expose Exploitation Loopholes in Italy’s Decreto Flussi]()
The article also documents similar stories from Bengali and North-African workers across Italy. Some paid ‘brokers’ up to €30,000, others discovered that the company listed on their visa never existed. Advocacy groups including ARCI and ASGI argue that the quota system encourages trafficking because there is no public skills registry in the countries of origin; placement therefore happens through opaque personal networks that charge exorbitant fees. Several MPs have pledged amendments that would shift responsibility for signing contracts onto certified employment agencies and introduce escrow guarantees against fraud.
For multinationals and relocation managers the exposé is a wake-up call: Italian subsidiaries that rely on Decreto Flussi hires may soon face stricter due-diligence requirements, longer background checks on sponsors, and potential joint-liability for abuses. Employers are advised to audit their labour brokers, budget extra time for prefecture appointments, and consider alternative permit categories—such as the EU Blue Card or the new Digital Nomad Visa—until reforms take effect.
In the meantime, experts recommend that incoming workers receive multilingual arrival kits explaining the 8-day deadline for signing contracts, how to obtain a tax code, and where to find free legal aid if an employer defaults.
Lawyers and NGO workers interviewed by Fanpage estimate that only 7–13 percent of the work permits allocated under recent quota decrees are actually converted into residency permits, leaving tens of thousands in limbo each year. Because current rules give the employer—not the worker—full control over signing the final contract at the one-stop immigration office, bad-faith recruiters can simply disappear, nullifying the visa and trapping the migrant in debt.
The article also documents similar stories from Bengali and North-African workers across Italy. Some paid ‘brokers’ up to €30,000, others discovered that the company listed on their visa never existed. Advocacy groups including ARCI and ASGI argue that the quota system encourages trafficking because there is no public skills registry in the countries of origin; placement therefore happens through opaque personal networks that charge exorbitant fees. Several MPs have pledged amendments that would shift responsibility for signing contracts onto certified employment agencies and introduce escrow guarantees against fraud.
For multinationals and relocation managers the exposé is a wake-up call: Italian subsidiaries that rely on Decreto Flussi hires may soon face stricter due-diligence requirements, longer background checks on sponsors, and potential joint-liability for abuses. Employers are advised to audit their labour brokers, budget extra time for prefecture appointments, and consider alternative permit categories—such as the EU Blue Card or the new Digital Nomad Visa—until reforms take effect.
In the meantime, experts recommend that incoming workers receive multilingual arrival kits explaining the 8-day deadline for signing contracts, how to obtain a tax code, and where to find free legal aid if an employer defaults.
