Italy’s right-wing government will unveil a sweeping immigration package next week that, for the first time since the 1990s, formally authorises the Navy and Coast Guard to bar migrant boats from territorial waters and disembark rescued persons in third countries deemed "safe." Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told reporters after Thursday’s cabinet meeting that the measure—quickly dubbed a "naval blockade"—is designed to dovetail with the EU’s new Asylum and Migration Pact, which enters into force in June.
Under the draft bill, asylum seekers intercepted within 24 nautical miles of the Italian coast could be transferred to partner states such as Albania or Tunisia for the processing of protection claims. The government argues that offshore processing will deter smuggling networks while relieving pressure on overstretched reception centres in Sicily and Calabria. Human-rights NGOs have already signalled legal challenges, citing possible breaches of the non-refoulement principle enshrined in both EU law and the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Amid these fast-moving policy changes, travellers and employers may benefit from expert visa support. VisaHQ’s digital platform provides real-time updates on Italian entry rules, step-by-step application guidance and document courier services, helping businesses and individuals stay compliant with evolving requirements (https://www.visahq.com/italy/).
![Italy prepares ‘naval blockade’ powers in new immigration bill]()
For employers who rely on seasonal or low-skilled non-EU labour the stakes are high. Although the decree leaves the annual "decreto flussi" quota system untouched, it gives the interior ministry discretionary power to reallocate visas if maritime arrivals exceed a yet-to-be-defined threshold. Corporate mobility teams may therefore face mid-season quota reallocations, complicating the hiring of third-country nationals in agriculture, hospitality and construction.
The bill will go to parliament on 11 February with the government confident of passage thanks to its stable majority in both chambers. Opposition parties say they will propose amendments to maintain rescue operations in Italian ports and ensure judicial oversight over transfers to third countries.
Businesses with mobile workforces should monitor the parliamentary debate: the final text could affect processing times for intra-company transfers and the availability of quota-exempt work permits if search-and-rescue capacity is curtailed.
Under the draft bill, asylum seekers intercepted within 24 nautical miles of the Italian coast could be transferred to partner states such as Albania or Tunisia for the processing of protection claims. The government argues that offshore processing will deter smuggling networks while relieving pressure on overstretched reception centres in Sicily and Calabria. Human-rights NGOs have already signalled legal challenges, citing possible breaches of the non-refoulement principle enshrined in both EU law and the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Amid these fast-moving policy changes, travellers and employers may benefit from expert visa support. VisaHQ’s digital platform provides real-time updates on Italian entry rules, step-by-step application guidance and document courier services, helping businesses and individuals stay compliant with evolving requirements (https://www.visahq.com/italy/).
For employers who rely on seasonal or low-skilled non-EU labour the stakes are high. Although the decree leaves the annual "decreto flussi" quota system untouched, it gives the interior ministry discretionary power to reallocate visas if maritime arrivals exceed a yet-to-be-defined threshold. Corporate mobility teams may therefore face mid-season quota reallocations, complicating the hiring of third-country nationals in agriculture, hospitality and construction.
The bill will go to parliament on 11 February with the government confident of passage thanks to its stable majority in both chambers. Opposition parties say they will propose amendments to maintain rescue operations in Italian ports and ensure judicial oversight over transfers to third countries.
Businesses with mobile workforces should monitor the parliamentary debate: the final text could affect processing times for intra-company transfers and the availability of quota-exempt work permits if search-and-rescue capacity is curtailed.
