And what do our compatriots do after reading such information? Do they drink a glass of horilka for the well-being of their countrymen who have been given the opportunity to legalize their stay in the Apennines? Not at all! Citizens rushed urgently to find ways to get to Italy as quickly as possible, cherishing the naive hope of ending up among the cohort of legalized lucky ones.
As the editorial board has learned, many "benefactors" have already appeared across Ukraine, promising gullible Ukrainians to quickly arrange an Italian visa and guaranteeing immediate legalization upon arrival in Italy. We are forced to cool the ardor of newly minted emigrants: if getting a visa might still work out (as is known, many travel agencies are engaged in this), then legalization should be forgotten. This procedure is intended only for those foreigners who have been on Italian territory for more than a year and have long submitted the relevant documents to local authorities.
Let us recall the background of the current legalization in Italy. A year ago, a new immigration law came into force in this country, which is significantly stricter than the previous one. In particular, it provides for stricter procedures for issuing residence permits: now a residence permit in Italy can only be granted if there is a work contract and is issued only for the duration of its validity. If an immigrant loses their job, they have six months to find a new one. If they do not find work within this period, they are obliged to leave Italy. In addition, people who have applied for a residence permit now have their fingerprints taken. The law also provides for tougher measures against illegal immigrants: from now on, the presence of foreigners without documents in Italy is a criminal offense with corresponding consequences.
Due to sharp criticism of the law from the opposition, which called it "racist and inhumane", two amendments were introduced into it, authorizing the possibility of obtaining a legal residence permit for certain categories of illegal immigrants living in Italy and having work. This opportunity was granted to those illegal immigrants in whose labor Italy is deficient - domestic workers, caregivers, and laborers. At the same time, the period provided by law, which allowed employers to legalize the status of illegally hired immigrants, ended at the end of last year.
Now employers who have submitted petitions and the illegal immigrants they hired will be summoned to immigration services. Their data will be checked, and then, if there are no objections, foreigners will be issued residence permits in Italy. Former illegal immigrants will come under the protection of Italian law; they cannot be paid below the country's minimum wage, they will be provided with all social rights and payments, including medical benefits, but at the same time they will have to pay taxes. However, violators face fines of 5 thousand euros, as well as imprisonment for a term of three months to a year.
Such is the picture with legalization in Italy. And Silvio Berlusconi's statement, which many media outlets disseminated, as we see, only agitated many Ukrainians who do not lose hope of settling down in this world. Unfortunately, it has also become a good bait in the hands of scammers who know how to fish in troubled waters.