Rome moved quickly on 12 June 2026 to bring the European Union’s new Migration and Asylum Pact to life. Only hours after the package of nine regulations formally entered into force across the Union, the Italian Council of Ministers published an emergency decree spelling out how the country will apply the rules at its sea and land borders. The decree introduces compulsory ‘border procedures’ for certain categories of applicants—including those coming from countries with low recognition rates and people considered a security risk. Under the new regime, asylum claims lodged at the border must be screened, registered and decided within 12 weeks, during which time applicants will be hosted in designated facilities and will not be allowed to enter Italian territory. The measure represents the most significant overhaul of Italy’s asylum practice since the 2018 ‘Salvini Decree’. Officials argue that fast-track decisions will curb secondary movements inside Schengen and free up reception capacity for those with a genuine need of protection.
For individuals and corporate mobility teams seeking practical guidance on Italy’s shifting entry requirements, VisaHQ provides up-to-date visa intelligence and application support; its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) lists current document checklists, processing times and compliance alerts, helping travellers and employers stay ahead of the new decree’s procedural hurdles.
Business immigration advisers note, however, that the decree also tightens the rules around humanitarian and special-case permits, making it harder for employers to regularise migrant workers who fall outside quota programmes. Italian NGOs have reacted with concern. The Jesuit Refugee Service’s Centro Astalli warned that accelerated procedures risk turning border areas such as Lampedusa, Taranto and Trieste into large detention zones that are difficult to monitor. Legal charities are already planning strategic litigation before domestic courts and the Court of Justice of the EU, alleging that the short deadlines will undermine the right to an effective remedy. For companies, the biggest immediate impact is procedural: corporate mobility teams must prepare for stricter document checks when arranging travel for third-country contractors transiting through Italy, and for possible delays if workers claim asylum on arrival. Multinationals running seasonal operations in agriculture and hospitality should also keep an eye on forthcoming implementing circulars that will clarify whether existing work-permit applicants can still switch to the asylum track. In the medium term the decree may spur a new wave of relocation requests from EU partners. The Pact’s ‘solidarity mechanism’ allows Italy to request the relocation of up to 30,000 recognised refugees a year, or equivalent financial contributions. HR departments should track which member states opt to transfer beneficiaries of international protection, as this will determine secondary posting options for long-term assignees.
For individuals and corporate mobility teams seeking practical guidance on Italy’s shifting entry requirements, VisaHQ provides up-to-date visa intelligence and application support; its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) lists current document checklists, processing times and compliance alerts, helping travellers and employers stay ahead of the new decree’s procedural hurdles.
Business immigration advisers note, however, that the decree also tightens the rules around humanitarian and special-case permits, making it harder for employers to regularise migrant workers who fall outside quota programmes. Italian NGOs have reacted with concern. The Jesuit Refugee Service’s Centro Astalli warned that accelerated procedures risk turning border areas such as Lampedusa, Taranto and Trieste into large detention zones that are difficult to monitor. Legal charities are already planning strategic litigation before domestic courts and the Court of Justice of the EU, alleging that the short deadlines will undermine the right to an effective remedy. For companies, the biggest immediate impact is procedural: corporate mobility teams must prepare for stricter document checks when arranging travel for third-country contractors transiting through Italy, and for possible delays if workers claim asylum on arrival. Multinationals running seasonal operations in agriculture and hospitality should also keep an eye on forthcoming implementing circulars that will clarify whether existing work-permit applicants can still switch to the asylum track. In the medium term the decree may spur a new wave of relocation requests from EU partners. The Pact’s ‘solidarity mechanism’ allows Italy to request the relocation of up to 30,000 recognised refugees a year, or equivalent financial contributions. HR departments should track which member states opt to transfer beneficiaries of international protection, as this will determine secondary posting options for long-term assignees.
