Italy Grants 12-Month Stay for Indian Students Post-Degree Completion

In a significant development, Italy has approved a migration and mobility agreement with India, allowing Indian students completing their degrees in the country an additional 12-month stay for initial professional experience. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted ex-post facto approval to the agreement, emphasizing the strengthening of people-to-people contacts and cooperation on issues related to irregular migration.

Key Provisions:

1. Indian students completing academic or vocational training in Italy can now stay for up to 12 months for initial professional experience.
2. The agreement secures existing provisions, including post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training, under the Flows Decree, providing an advantage to Indian students.
3. Quotas have been allocated for non-seasonal Indian workers, with 5,000, 6,000, and 7,000 workers designated for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively.
4. Additional quotas of 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 seasonal Indian workers have been set aside for the same years under the Flows Decree.
5. Provisions for professional training, extracurricular internships, and curricular internships are outlined, aligning with Italian skill and training standards.

Collaborative Efforts and Joint Working Group (JWG):

1. The agreement formalizes collaborative efforts to enhance mobility pathways between India and Italy.
2. Youth mobility and the recruitment of Indian-qualified professionals in healthcare and medical services sectors will be discussed under the Joint Working Group.
3. Cooperation between the two countries to combat irregular migration is established.

Implementation and Monitoring:

1. The agreement will be in force for five years and will automatically renew for a similar successive period unless terminated by any participant.
2. A Joint Working Group (JWG) will be formed to monitor the agreement, meeting periodically to oversee its implementation, share relevant information, and assess progress.

Signatories:

1. The agreement was signed on November 2, 2023, with Dr. S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, representing the Indian government.
2. Shri Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, represented the Italian government during the signing.

This agreement reflects a positive step toward enhancing educational and professional opportunities for Indian students in Italy, fostering closer ties between the two nations.