MILAN, ITALY: Italian government placed Bangladesh in the ‘blacklist’ for it immigration policy on seasonal worker visa for the two successive years, excluding from its quota system.

A gazette was issued in the first week of April to recruit some 15,000 workers on the seasonal visa from 23 countries outside of the European Union. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka has been enlisted while Bangladesh remained excluded this time too.

The other 20 countries are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Egypt, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldavia, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Serbia, Ukraine and Tunisia.

The online visa application begins on April 4 but the Bangladeshi nationals are ineligible to apply this year as like it happened in 2013 too. Job seekers are to suffer for the ill-motive of manpower agents and irresponsibility of government in this regard.


Thousands of people come to Italy on seasonal job visa during summer as plenty of skilled-unskilled workers are required especially for the country’s tourism sector and agro-farms despite economic recession continues in entire Europe.

Most of the workers return home when the visa is expired. Italian government gives priority to the workers, who respect the rule, if they applied for next time.

But Bangladeshi workers, whoever legal or illegal, were in an exception in this case, they came and hardly went back home. Of them, a good number entered into Italy with the assistance of manpower businessmen.

Only 51 out of about 18,000 workers returned home among those came to Italy on seasonal work visa during a period of 2008 to 2012.

In a bid to stopping the nuisances, Italian authorities put Bangladesh in the blacklist officially on its immigration policy for seasonal work visa in 2013.

But, prior to get blacklisted, the opportunist manpower agents and businessmen managed their future there and left the scene.

A migrant worker had to pay a handsome amount of money ranging from TK 5 lakhs to TK 10 lakhs to the recruiting agencies or the agents to arrive Italy.

Some agents reportedly managed to send 100 more workers with this high payment and make huge money.

Although the Bangladeshi had goodwill on their jobs but the visa scandal tarnished the country’s image immensely there.

Bangladesh ambassador to Rome Shahadat Hossain see the Italian authorities’ visa policy on Bangladesh in a different way.

Asked on whether non-enlistment of Bangladesh in the list of 23 countries is conflicted with the country’s image, he said “I don’t see the issue in that way, and the image is not being tarnished.”

Admitting Bangladeshi workers’ stay there after visa expiration, Shahadat said: “It happened when Bangladeshis failed to fulfill the requirements demanded by the Italian government.”

Initiative would be taken to hold a meeting soon with the concerned higher immigration authorities on the issue, he told this correspondent.

Leaders at Bangladeshi communities at different Italian cities see the issue as a big spot on the communities questioning government and its Rome embassy has any chance to avoid their responsibilities?

Assigned manpower agents must be brought to book and illegal manpower business must be stopped too, they demanded.

The leaders opined that though the possibility is low, if the quota system for Bangladesh resumes in future, authorities must have to ensure that those who would arrive Italy on seasonal work visa must return home after visa expiration.

BDST: 1410 HRS APR 5, 2014