India’s Migration and Mobility Agreement with Italy received ex-post facto approval from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The pact between the two nations signed on November 2, would ensure temporary residence for Indian students in Italy for up to one year after studies to gather professional experience.

The agreement was signed between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The bill seeks to enhance people-to-people contacts, foster mobility of students, skilled workers, business people, and young professionals, and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides.

The bill would also ensure an advantage for India under the existing labour mobility pathways under the Flows Decree as it locks in the current Italian visa regime, including mechanisms for post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training.

Under the agreement, Indian students would get additional permanent residence for up to 12 months even after the completion of their studies. This would help them in gathering initial professional experience, after completing academic/vocational training in Italy.

The European nation has also listed provisions related to professional training, extracurricular internships, and curricular internships for Indians.

Italy has reserved a quota of 5,000, 6,000, and 7,000 non-seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024, and 2025 under the current Flows Decree. For seasonal Indian workers, the nation has reserved the quota of  3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 for 2023, 2024, and 2025 under the current Flows Decree.

The Flow Decree is a system to find the number of visas for non-EU citizens who can enter Italy for employment, self-employment, or seasonal work.

The agreement is also expected to formalize a pact between the two nations for the employment of professionals in the healthcare and medical services sectors. It will also help India and Italy in formalising the irregular migration of workers from India.

A joint working group would monitor the irregular migration under the formal mechanism decided as per the agreement. The joint working group would meet periodically, in virtual or physical modes.