Italy’s lower house gave final approval on 24 April to the bill converting Decree-Law 23/2026—better known as the “Security and Migration Decree”—only hours before President Sergio Mattarella promulgated it. The new Law 54/2026 stretches to 38 articles and 115 paragraphs and represents the most comprehensive rewrite of Italy’s public-order and immigration code since 2018. Among dozens of security measures, the law contains an extensive immigration chapter (Arts. 28-32) that will be felt immediately by employers, relocation providers and cross-border commuters. Foreign nationals convicted—even provisionally—of a longer list of violent or terrorism-related offences may now be refused entry, and anyone found a second time without status in an EU internal-border zone can be detained in a Repatriation Centre (CPR) without a fresh expulsion order. Companies moving talent into or out of Italy must also follow stricter identification rules for foreign detainees and asylum-seekers.
![Italy converts Security and Migration Decree 23/2026 into law, introducing tougher expulsion rules and faster border transfers]()
Whether you’re an employer managing global mobility or a private traveller, VisaHQ can help you navigate the new compliance landscape by securing the right Italian visas and residence permits and by advising on the latest documentation and timing requirements introduced by Law 54/2026. Visit https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for fast, expert assistance tailored to the updated rules.
Failure to “co-operate” by providing personal data may count against early-release petitions and against the assessment of social danger that underpins an expulsion decree. Separately, the Interior Ministry has been authorised until 31 December 2028 to award no-bid contracts for the construction or refurbishment of reception and detention centres, a signal that capacity will expand. The decree overhauls appeal rights: legal aid is no longer automatic for non-EU citizens challenging expulsion decisions—those with incomes above the statutory threshold will have to pay their own lawyers—while judges now have just 15 days to rule on the expulsion of foreign prisoners. Employers who rely on intra-EU posted workers should note the new power given to frontier police to transfer irregular migrants directly back to the first EU member state of arrival, bypassing a second administrative procedure. Politically, the government argues the measures close “loopholes” exploited by traffickers, but NGOs warn they will increase arbitrary detention and legal uncertainty. Multinational HR teams should prepare updated compliance briefings for assignees—particularly those with minor criminal records—and consider longer lead times for family members who may now need to demonstrate higher levels of documentation at the border. Practical tips: 1) build an extra buffer into assignment start dates while local Questure digest new rules; 2) ensure all expats carry proof of address and work contract when crossing EU internal borders; 3) review internal mobility policies to cover the cost of any legal challenges that may no longer qualify for free legal aid.
Whether you’re an employer managing global mobility or a private traveller, VisaHQ can help you navigate the new compliance landscape by securing the right Italian visas and residence permits and by advising on the latest documentation and timing requirements introduced by Law 54/2026. Visit https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for fast, expert assistance tailored to the updated rules.
Failure to “co-operate” by providing personal data may count against early-release petitions and against the assessment of social danger that underpins an expulsion decree. Separately, the Interior Ministry has been authorised until 31 December 2028 to award no-bid contracts for the construction or refurbishment of reception and detention centres, a signal that capacity will expand. The decree overhauls appeal rights: legal aid is no longer automatic for non-EU citizens challenging expulsion decisions—those with incomes above the statutory threshold will have to pay their own lawyers—while judges now have just 15 days to rule on the expulsion of foreign prisoners. Employers who rely on intra-EU posted workers should note the new power given to frontier police to transfer irregular migrants directly back to the first EU member state of arrival, bypassing a second administrative procedure. Politically, the government argues the measures close “loopholes” exploited by traffickers, but NGOs warn they will increase arbitrary detention and legal uncertainty. Multinational HR teams should prepare updated compliance briefings for assignees—particularly those with minor criminal records—and consider longer lead times for family members who may now need to demonstrate higher levels of documentation at the border. Practical tips: 1) build an extra buffer into assignment start dates while local Questure digest new rules; 2) ensure all expats carry proof of address and work contract when crossing EU internal borders; 3) review internal mobility policies to cover the cost of any legal challenges that may no longer qualify for free legal aid.
