The Bangladesh foreign ministry on Monday said that steps were underway to address delays in processing the unresolved visa applications for Bangladeshi workers under Italy鈥檚 Flussi Decree programme.
The ministry in a statement said that under the Flussi Decree, Italy recruits seasonal and non-seasonal workers from outside the European Union.
Bangladesh rejoined the programme in 2022 after an eight-year suspension, creating new opportunities for its citizens to get seasonal employment in Italy, the statement added.
As a result, the number of applications at the Italian embassy in Dhaka significantly rose in the recent years, it also said.
As both sides have placed special emphasis on clearing pending Nulla Osta (work permit) cases, the matter was strongly raised in meetings during Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi鈥檚 visit in early May this year.
The matter is also being regularly raised in talks with the Italian ambassador in Dhaka and visiting Italian officials.
The foreign ministry also said that the Italian interior minister during his visit iterated his government鈥檚 commitment to resolving the delays.
Citing information from the Italian embassy in Dhaka, the Bangladesh foreign ministry statement noted that Italy issued Law Decree Number 145 in 2024, suspending all work permits issued before 22 October 2024.
Under the new rules, the embassy can approve or reject visa applications only after receiving clearance from relevant provincial authorities in Italy, requiring a verification process contributing to the delay.
Nevertheless, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said that the Italian embassy in Dhaka had so far resolved over 8,000 of the nearly 40,000 pending applications. Verification work for a further 20,000 potential applicants is expected to begin soon, according to the ministry.
It further said that work permits issued after 22 October 2024 were not subject to suspension, and several hundred Bangladeshi applicants under the 2025 Flussi Decree have already received visas, with more expected in the coming months.
According to the ministry press release, it is in regular contact with the Italian embassy in Dhaka and Italy鈥檚 ministry of foreign affairs through the Bangladesh embassy in Rome.
The Italian embassy has also reinforced its staffing to expedite the processing activities.
The Bangladesh foreign ministry also noted that the discovery of forged work permits and counterfeit documents submitted by some applicants had lengthened the verification process as multiple criminal investigations were underway in Italy in this regard.
The ministry reminded aspiring migrants that only official consular and administrative fees are required for visa processing.
Those paying large sums of money to brokers risk having their visas cancelled and facing legal consequences, as such payments could be linked to corrupt practices, the ministry warned, adding these fraudulent cases also slowed down processing for the genuine applicants.
On May 6, 2025, Bangladesh and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding on migration, paving the way for the regular recruitment of skilled workers and helping curb irregular migration.
The Bangladesh foreign ministry urged those who have already received a Nulla Osta to remain
patient and await the completion of the Italian government鈥檚 administrative procedures.
It also warned that any negative campaign or disruptive activities would likely harm current applicants, while dampening Italy鈥檚 willingness to hire workers from Bangladesh in the future.
