ISLAMABAD, Dec 27 (APP): Pakistan has secured a quota of 10,500 jobs from Italy over the next three years, marking the first time a European country has formally allocated labour quotas to Pakistani workers, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development said on Saturday.
Under the agreement, 3,500 Pakistani workers will be employed in Italy annually, including 1,500 under seasonal quotas and 2,000 under non-seasonal quotas. The jobs will be available in sectors such as shipbreaking, hospitality, healthcare, and agriculture.
According to the ministry, skilled and semi-skilled workers will be employed in a range of professions, including welding, technical trades, culinary services, hospitality staff, nursing, medical technicians, and agricultural work.
The quota allocation follows sustained engagement between the two countries and is being described by officials as a significant step towards expanding employment opportunities for Pakistanis in the European labour market.
A spokesperson for the ministry said that Italy was the first European country to grant such job quotas to Pakistan, adding that the second meeting of the Pakistan–Italy Joint Working Group is scheduled to be held in Islamabad in February 2026.
Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain welcomed the development, calling it a historic milestone.
He said the agreement reflected the government’s continued efforts to create dignified overseas employment opportunities for Pakistani workers.
“Overseas Pakistanis are ambassadors of the country and play a vital role in strengthening the national economy,” the minister said, expressing hope that similar arrangements would soon be finalised with other European countries.