Italy’s flagship humanitarian-corridor programme delivered another rescue flight on 12 December, bringing 122 refugees from Tripoli to Rome-Fiumicino’s Terminal 5. The operation was coordinated by UNHCR, the Italian government, the NGO community of Sant’Egidio and ARCI under a 2023 memorandum that finances evacuations entirely with private donations.
Who arrived • The group includes 62 minors and 31 women, many of whom are survivors of torture, trafficking or severe medical conditions. • Most passengers come from Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea—the same nationalities that dominate perilous Central-Mediterranean crossings—illustrating how safe pathways can target those most at risk.
Reception and next steps Upon landing, the refugees underwent biometric checks, received limited-territoriality humanitarian visas valid only in Italy and were distributed to small reception centres across nine regions. Civil-society sponsors will cover housing, Italian-language training and job placement for at least one year, after which participants may apply for standard asylum or subsidiary protection.
![122 Vulnerable Refugees Reach Rome Via Humanitarian Corridor From Libya]()
If your organisation or HR team needs help navigating Italy’s humanitarian or other visa categories, VisaHQ can streamline the process with online applications, document verification and real-time status tracking. Their dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers up-to-date guidance on humanitarian, work and family visas, ensuring mobility managers can move people safely and compliantly.
Why it matters for mobility professionals Corporate relocation teams increasingly rely on the corridor model as proof that Italy can scale orderly admissions without clogging regular consular pipelines. Since February 2016, more than 8,300 people have entered via corridors with negligible overstay rates, strengthening the argument for similar labour-linked corridors in sectors facing shortages.
Broader context The arrival coincides with EU moves to externalise asylum processing and to designate “safe” third countries. Italian officials promote corridors as the humane complement to tougher border controls. UNHCR’s Filippo Ungaro called the initiative “a template other EU states should copy,” noting that only 8 % of the world’s 2.8 million urgent cases were resettled last year.
Outlook The Interior Ministry says funding is secured for at least four more flights in 2026. Mobility managers should monitor whether humanitarian-visa holders, once converted to refugee status, become eligible for standard residence-and-work permits—potentially expanding the talent pool for socially responsible employers.
Who arrived • The group includes 62 minors and 31 women, many of whom are survivors of torture, trafficking or severe medical conditions. • Most passengers come from Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea—the same nationalities that dominate perilous Central-Mediterranean crossings—illustrating how safe pathways can target those most at risk.
Reception and next steps Upon landing, the refugees underwent biometric checks, received limited-territoriality humanitarian visas valid only in Italy and were distributed to small reception centres across nine regions. Civil-society sponsors will cover housing, Italian-language training and job placement for at least one year, after which participants may apply for standard asylum or subsidiary protection.
If your organisation or HR team needs help navigating Italy’s humanitarian or other visa categories, VisaHQ can streamline the process with online applications, document verification and real-time status tracking. Their dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers up-to-date guidance on humanitarian, work and family visas, ensuring mobility managers can move people safely and compliantly.
Why it matters for mobility professionals Corporate relocation teams increasingly rely on the corridor model as proof that Italy can scale orderly admissions without clogging regular consular pipelines. Since February 2016, more than 8,300 people have entered via corridors with negligible overstay rates, strengthening the argument for similar labour-linked corridors in sectors facing shortages.
Broader context The arrival coincides with EU moves to externalise asylum processing and to designate “safe” third countries. Italian officials promote corridors as the humane complement to tougher border controls. UNHCR’s Filippo Ungaro called the initiative “a template other EU states should copy,” noting that only 8 % of the world’s 2.8 million urgent cases were resettled last year.
Outlook The Interior Ministry says funding is secured for at least four more flights in 2026. Mobility managers should monitor whether humanitarian-visa holders, once converted to refugee status, become eligible for standard residence-and-work permits—potentially expanding the talent pool for socially responsible employers.
