The Italian Interior Ministry confirmed on 7 July that Rome and Nairobi have sealed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on migration management and mobility. Signed in the Kenyan capital on 2 July and publicised this week, the agreement creates joint channels for seasonal farm workers, skills-matching programmes in construction and hospitality, and scholarship visas for Kenyan students at Italian technical institutes. In return, Kenya pledges stronger cooperation on readmission of nationals found to be irregularly present in Italy and information campaigns warning of smuggling risks. The deal mirrors similar pacts Italy recently struck with Tunisia and Egypt under its “Migration and Development” strategy, which ties labour-market access to origin-country cooperation on returns. For Italian employers grappling with a structural shortage of 350,000 workers—especially in agri-food and elder care—the memorandum provides an additional pool outside the annual “decreto flussi” quotas.
The Interior Ministry said pilot recruitment rounds could begin as early as October, with up to 3,000 Kenyan seasonal workers eligible in the first year.
![Italy and Kenya sign migration & mobility memorandum to expand legal pathways]()
For workers and companies eager to tap into these new channels, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process: its digital platform guides applicants through Italian requirements, offers document verification and courier services, and keeps timelines transparent. Explore the service at to reduce paperwork headaches and accelerate deployment.
Legal advisers note that selected applicants will receive multi-entry visas valid for six months per year over a three-year period, and access to fast-track residence permits once in Italy. Companies must offer furnished accommodation and register contracts on Italy’s single-permit digital portal. The accord also foresees mutual recognition of vocational certificates, potentially easing mobility for Italian engineers involved in Kenyan infrastructure projects financed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Multinationals with operations in East Africa welcome the two-way model as a blueprint for regional talent mobility.
The Interior Ministry said pilot recruitment rounds could begin as early as October, with up to 3,000 Kenyan seasonal workers eligible in the first year.
For workers and companies eager to tap into these new channels, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process: its digital platform guides applicants through Italian requirements, offers document verification and courier services, and keeps timelines transparent. Explore the service at to reduce paperwork headaches and accelerate deployment.
Legal advisers note that selected applicants will receive multi-entry visas valid for six months per year over a three-year period, and access to fast-track residence permits once in Italy. Companies must offer furnished accommodation and register contracts on Italy’s single-permit digital portal. The accord also foresees mutual recognition of vocational certificates, potentially easing mobility for Italian engineers involved in Kenyan infrastructure projects financed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Multinationals with operations in East Africa welcome the two-way model as a blueprint for regional talent mobility.
