Bangladesh gets shot at 166,000 Italy jobs for foreign workers

Bangladesh is among 37 countries set to benefit from Italy's decision to recruit roughly 166,000 foreign workers in 2027, under quotas spanning seasonal, non-seasonal and domestic work.

Applicants must apply under specific categories set by the government, the country's labour ministry said.

The announcement came in a joint notice issued on Thursday by Italy's interior, labour and social policy, agriculture, and tourism ministries.

Under the notice, 165,850 foreign workers will be allowed to enter Italy for legal employment in 2027, with quotas set at 76,200 for non-seasonal work, 89,000 for seasonal work and 650 for self-employment.

Besides Bangladesh, the list includes Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Korea, Cape Verde, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, the Philippines, the Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Japan, Jordan, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Applicants must fill in an online form on the government's website through an Italian employer in the relevant category between Oct 23 and Dec 7.

Applications can then be submitted on four set dates next year: Jan 12 for seasonal agriculture, Feb 9 for seasonal tourism, Feb 16 for non-seasonal work and Feb 18 for non-seasonal domestic work.

Kamrul Islam Rigan, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Venice, said every Bangladeshi worker must apply through a genuine employer.

“Before applying, check the employer's papers through relatives in Italy if possible,” he said. “But beware of brokers.”

Migration experts say the announcement matters for Bangladeshi workers hoping to go, though it sets no separate quota for Bangladesh.

They advise checking all documents carefully before applying.