India-Italy Migration Agreement: In a groundbreaking development that stands to benefit Indian students, Italy has greenlit an additional 12-month stay for those completing their academic or vocational training. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, heading the Union Cabinet, has granted ex-post facto approval to the migration and mobility agreement inked between India and Italy. This agreement is designed to fortify people-to-people connections, foster student mobility, and boost collaboration on issues related to irregular migration, as per the report from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Wednesday.
The existing provisions of Italy’s visa regime, encompassing post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training, will be safeguarded under the Flows Decree, providing India a strategic advantage. Indian students concluding academic or vocational training programs in Italy can now extend their stay for up to 12 months to gain initial professional experience.
Key Highlight of India-Italy Migration Agreement:
- Extended Stay for Indian Students: Italy has approved an additional 12-month stay for Indian students completing academic or vocational training in the country.
- Government Approval: The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted ex-post facto approval to the migration and mobility agreement between India and Italy.
- Objective of the Agreement: The agreement aims to strengthen people-to-people contacts, promote student mobility, and enhance cooperation on issues related to irregular migration.
- Advantages under the Flows Decree: Provisions of Italy’s visa regime, including post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training, will be secured under the Flows Decree, providing strategic advantages for Indian students.
- Workforce Quotas: Italy has allocated quotas for non-seasonal and seasonal Indian workers for the years 2023-2025, aiming to address labor market needs.
- Skill and Training Standards: Specific provisions for professional training, extracurricular internships, and curricular internships have been outlined, aligning Indian students/trainees with Italian skill and training standards.
- Incremental Quotas: The Flows Decree proposes incremental reserved quotas for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers from 2023-2025.
- Collaborative Efforts: The agreement formalizes collaborative efforts to enhance mobility pathways, including discussions on youth mobility and the recruitment of Indian-qualified professionals in healthcare and medical services.
- Cooperation Against Irregular Migration: The agreement establishes cooperation between India and Italy to combat irregular migration.
- Duration and Renewal: The agreement will remain in force for five years and will automatically renew for a similar successive period unless terminated by any participant.
- Monitoring Mechanism: A Joint Working Group (JWG) will oversee the agreement’s implementation, meeting periodically to assess progress and discuss proposals.
- Signing Details: The agreement was signed on November 2, 2023, with Dr. S Jaishankar representing the Indian government and Shri Antonio Tajani representing the Italian government.
To oversee the agreement’s implementation, a Joint Working Group (JWG) will be formed, convening periodically in virtual or physical mode as convenient. The JWG will share relevant information, assess the implementation of the agreement, and discuss appropriate proposals to support its implementation as needed. The agreement, signed on November 2, 2023, saw Dr. S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, representing the Indian government, and Shri Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, representing the Italian government.
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