Local newspaper *Eco di Bergamo* reported on 25 February 2026 that of 3,196 employer requests submitted in Bergamo province under the 2024 decreto flussi, only 23 workers had ultimately received residence permits—an approval rate of 0.7 %. The data were obtained by the advocacy campaign “Ero Straniero” from the Interior Ministry and mirror the nationwide shortfall revealed this week.
Employers in agriculture and elder-care services told the paper that many positions went unfilled because clearances arrived after the seasonal window closed or were revoked when background checks uncovered dormant companies exploiting the system for profit. Union officials said some migrants paid intermediaries thousands of euros for paperwork only to be stranded without contracts.
![Bergamo case study exposes extreme bottlenecks in 2024 Flussi intake: 3,196 applications, only 23 permits]()
Businesses and prospective employees grappling with Italy’s visa labyrinth can streamline part of the process by using VisaHQ’s digital concierge services. The platform’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers real-time document checklists, embassy appointment booking, and status tracking that can reduce some of the bottlenecks described above, giving companies a clearer timeline and applicants professional guidance.
The Bergamo prefecture acknowledged delays but blamed incomplete dossiers and late embassy appointments. It plans to trial a pre-screening desk where employers can upload draft applications for compliance feedback before the formal “click-day.”
While the numbers are local, they highlight systemic dysfunction in Italy’s labour-migration machinery. Mobility managers should factor such regional disparities into workforce-planning and may need to redirect recruitment to EU talent pools or consider posted-worker routes until procedures improve.
Employers in agriculture and elder-care services told the paper that many positions went unfilled because clearances arrived after the seasonal window closed or were revoked when background checks uncovered dormant companies exploiting the system for profit. Union officials said some migrants paid intermediaries thousands of euros for paperwork only to be stranded without contracts.
Businesses and prospective employees grappling with Italy’s visa labyrinth can streamline part of the process by using VisaHQ’s digital concierge services. The platform’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers real-time document checklists, embassy appointment booking, and status tracking that can reduce some of the bottlenecks described above, giving companies a clearer timeline and applicants professional guidance.
The Bergamo prefecture acknowledged delays but blamed incomplete dossiers and late embassy appointments. It plans to trial a pre-screening desk where employers can upload draft applications for compliance feedback before the formal “click-day.”
While the numbers are local, they highlight systemic dysfunction in Italy’s labour-migration machinery. Mobility managers should factor such regional disparities into workforce-planning and may need to redirect recruitment to EU talent pools or consider posted-worker routes until procedures improve.
