ISLAMABAD: Italy has allotted a special quota for the entry of 10,500 Pakistani workers within the next three years and has processed over 3,200 visas for students for the current academic year both being tangible examples of what Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Marilina Armellin refers to as “how far we have come.”
The Italian ambassador gave out the statement during the reception celebrating both the Italian National Day and Republic Day, which fell this year amid the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Republic of Italy. Her address came amidst the presence of Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik amongst others, emphasizing the steady evolution of relations between the two countries.
A Community Already There
There is the sizeable community of Pakistanis that Italy hosts. This is the largest Pakistani diaspora in the entire European Union and has acted as a double-edged sword in bilateral relations. This was acknowledged formally by both governments last year when a bilateral migration memorandum was signed. The worker quota numbers derive from here, providing the means for 10,500 Pakistanis to enter the Italian economy over the next three years.
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Italy has further gone on to implement training schemes for migrants before their departure, something which helps deal with a gap in needs that has often surfaced.
Student Search for a New Destination
One such parallel case involves the number of students, where Italian universities granted more than 3,200 visas to Pakistani students for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level studies in 2025-26. The high numbers are indicative of a change in attitudes towards the destination considering how little mention it received when discussing education abroad among Pakistanis.
Ambassador Armellin pointed to signs that Italian industry has begun paying closer attention to Pakistan’s economic trajectory. During the recent meeting of ambassadors in Milan, a number of Italian businessmen asked for a meeting in order to discuss potential cooperation in Pakistan. Cooperation between Italy and Pakistan in the area of technology and defense resulted in signing contracts over the last year. This made the relations between the two countries more professional because the previous relations were more community-oriented.
Beyond the Numbers
Collaboration for agriculture and climate change also figured among other collaborations that were on-going in the province of Sindh. In her time serving in Pakistan, she visited all the World Heritage Sites that exist in Pakistan in connection with Italy’s recognition of Pakistan’s cultural heritage.
In her remarks on foreign policy matters, she expressed delight in the role Pakistan played in the diplomacy of Middle East peace, mentioning that the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, had lent his public support to those efforts. An Italian newspaper highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic contribution under the Latin headline “Islamabada Caput Mundi” (Islamabad, Capital of the World), recognizing the country’s role in international peace efforts.
Concluding part of her speech in Urdu, Ambassador Armellin said she would leave Pakistan with pride in the progress both countries had achieved and confidence that they would further strengthen their partnership in the years ahead.
