Meeting in Brussels on 9 December, EU interior ministers approved a sweeping overhaul of the bloc’s migration rules that explicitly endorses Italy’s bilateral accord with Albania. Two Italian-run centres in the port of Shëngjin will now double as repatriation facilities for rejected asylum seekers once the regulation enters force in June 2026. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi hailed the deal as confirmation that Italy’s pilot model will be scaled up across the EU.
Under the package, member states under “high migratory pressure” (Italy, Greece, Spain and Cyprus) are guaranteed solidarity through relocations or financial contributions from other EU partners. The rules also expand the EU’s list of “safe third countries” and “safe countries of origin,” enabling faster rejection of manifestly unfounded asylum claims.
![EU Interior Ministers Endorse Italy’s Albania ‘Return Hubs’ in Migration Overhaul]()
For companies and individual travellers trying to keep pace with these evolving rules, VisaHQ offers a convenient one-stop resource. Its Italy-dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) provides up-to-date guidance on visas, residence permits, and supporting documents, and can handle submissions or renewals on behalf of corporate mobility teams—helping organisations stay compliant amid shifting EU migration policies.
Human-rights NGOs lambasted the plan as a blueprint for outsourcing asylum obligations and normalising detention outside EU borders. Southern states counter that speedy returns will deter dangerous sea crossings and break smuggling networks. For Italy, the political win shores up the Meloni government’s narrative that Brussels is finally sharing the Mediterranean burden.
Practical implications for corporate mobility: exit controls on expiring work permits are likely to tighten, and overstayers could be channelled into return procedures managed from Albania. Employers should therefore strengthen end-of-assignment protocols, ensuring residence permits are cancelled promptly and documentation retained in case of audits.
Under the package, member states under “high migratory pressure” (Italy, Greece, Spain and Cyprus) are guaranteed solidarity through relocations or financial contributions from other EU partners. The rules also expand the EU’s list of “safe third countries” and “safe countries of origin,” enabling faster rejection of manifestly unfounded asylum claims.
For companies and individual travellers trying to keep pace with these evolving rules, VisaHQ offers a convenient one-stop resource. Its Italy-dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) provides up-to-date guidance on visas, residence permits, and supporting documents, and can handle submissions or renewals on behalf of corporate mobility teams—helping organisations stay compliant amid shifting EU migration policies.
Human-rights NGOs lambasted the plan as a blueprint for outsourcing asylum obligations and normalising detention outside EU borders. Southern states counter that speedy returns will deter dangerous sea crossings and break smuggling networks. For Italy, the political win shores up the Meloni government’s narrative that Brussels is finally sharing the Mediterranean burden.
Practical implications for corporate mobility: exit controls on expiring work permits are likely to tighten, and overstayers could be channelled into return procedures managed from Albania. Employers should therefore strengthen end-of-assignment protocols, ensuring residence permits are cancelled promptly and documentation retained in case of audits.
