Pakistan, Italy ties strengthen with progress on labour migration MoU

January 15, 2026 (MLN):  Pakistan and Italy are in the process of finalizing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in labour migration, as the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties in education, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Ms. Marilina Armellin.

The meeting focused on further strengthening Pakistan and Italy relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The Acting President said the two countries enjoy over 75 years of diplomatic relations rooted in a long-standing friendship and collaboration at important international forums, according to Radio Pakistan.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani appreciated Italy’s support at multilateral platforms and thanked the Italian government for hosting more than 300,000 members of the Pakistani diaspora.

He highlighted the presence of several Italian companies in Pakistan, particularly in the pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and railway sectors, and underscored Pakistan’s interest in expanding trade and investment ties.

The Acting President also emphasized the need for faster visa processing for Pakistanis travelling to Italy and expressed hope for an increased quota of skilled workers under the labour migration programme.

He noted that the MoU between the two countries is currently under process.

Italian Ambassador Ms. Marilina Armellin reiterated Italy’s strong commitment to its long-standing friendship with Pakistan, noting that Pakistan was among the first countries with which the Italian Republic established diplomatic relations.

She shared that in 2025, Italy issued visas to more than 15,000 Pakistani students who secured admission to Italian universities for postgraduate and PhD programmes.

 Referring to Italy’s shortage of skilled manpower, particularly in scientific, IT-related fields and healthcare, the Ambassador said Italian institutions welcome initiatives by Pakistani universities to introduce Italian language courses to enhance employment prospects for Pakistani professionals.

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