The paper describes the dynamics of migration in Italy and in the other four main countries of the euro area (Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands), relating them to demographic trends and the labour market. It also illustrates the regulation of the entry of foreigners in the main European countries, with reference to integration policies, fiscal aspects and the conditions for acquiring citizenship.
Without migration flows, the working-age population will decline significantly in all the major euro area economies. Fewer foreigners enter Italy than in other countries and they are generally poorly educated. Some recent reforms have opened up new possibilities for the regular entry of foreign workers into Italy, but their integration is still limited, particularly in terms of language learning and vocational training.
