Italy’s controversial agreement with Albania entered a new operational phase on 17 February when a chartered aircraft transferred between 30 and 40 irregular migrants from Italian detention centres (CPR) to the newly-designated facility in Gjader. Internal Ministry documents seen by ANSA, and reported on 26 February, reveal that the Italian government paid €58,212 (plus VAT) to a private charter company for the flight, which departed Rome, stopped in Bari to collect additional detainees, and continued to Tirana.
The protocol—signed in 2024 and amended by decree in March 2025—initially envisaged off-shoring only migrants intercepted at sea. Last year’s decree widened eligibility to include non-EU nationals already in repatriation proceedings, once a judge has validated detention. Supporters, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, argue the “return hub” will deter irregular crossings and relieve pressure on Italian reception centres. Critics counter that the programme is costly, legally fraught and risks breaching EU safeguards on detention conditions and judicial review.
Civil-society groups note that each transfer requires an unusually high security ratio: roughly 90–100 police officers accompanied the small passenger group, raising questions about scalability and cost efficiency. The European Commission is monitoring the experiment as several member states debate similar third-country processing models.
![First Charter Transfers Irregular Migrants from Italy to Albania ‘Return Hub’]()
At the practical level, firms and individuals seeking lawful entry or stay in Italy can tap online facilitation services such as VisaHQ, which provides up-to-date checklists, application tracking and expert support via its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). Leveraging such tools helps organisations avoid administrative errors and pivot quickly when regulations—like those surrounding the Albania transfer scheme—evolve.
For employers, the development underscores Italy’s twin-track migration strategy: facilitating legal work routes while hardening enforcement against irregular stays. Companies employing non-EU nationals should ensure documentation is watertight; random workplace inspections are expected to intensify as authorities demonstrate a tougher stance at both the border and in the interior.
If court challenges succeed, Rome may have to revise or suspend the Albania transfers—potentially leaving companies short-staffed in seasonal sectors that rely on migrant labour. Mobility managers should therefore track the evolving legal landscape and maintain contingency plans for sourcing talent through formal quota programmes.
The protocol—signed in 2024 and amended by decree in March 2025—initially envisaged off-shoring only migrants intercepted at sea. Last year’s decree widened eligibility to include non-EU nationals already in repatriation proceedings, once a judge has validated detention. Supporters, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, argue the “return hub” will deter irregular crossings and relieve pressure on Italian reception centres. Critics counter that the programme is costly, legally fraught and risks breaching EU safeguards on detention conditions and judicial review.
Civil-society groups note that each transfer requires an unusually high security ratio: roughly 90–100 police officers accompanied the small passenger group, raising questions about scalability and cost efficiency. The European Commission is monitoring the experiment as several member states debate similar third-country processing models.
At the practical level, firms and individuals seeking lawful entry or stay in Italy can tap online facilitation services such as VisaHQ, which provides up-to-date checklists, application tracking and expert support via its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). Leveraging such tools helps organisations avoid administrative errors and pivot quickly when regulations—like those surrounding the Albania transfer scheme—evolve.
For employers, the development underscores Italy’s twin-track migration strategy: facilitating legal work routes while hardening enforcement against irregular stays. Companies employing non-EU nationals should ensure documentation is watertight; random workplace inspections are expected to intensify as authorities demonstrate a tougher stance at both the border and in the interior.
If court challenges succeed, Rome may have to revise or suspend the Albania transfers—potentially leaving companies short-staffed in seasonal sectors that rely on migrant labour. Mobility managers should therefore track the evolving legal landscape and maintain contingency plans for sourcing talent through formal quota programmes.
