Migrants and Integration: the Italian Experience

Italy is the most relevant example of the ‘Mediterranean model of migration’. Since the 1980s, at the beginning of migratory flows, its migratory system was marked by strong demand for foreign workers and the absence of real possibilities of legal entry. Until recently, Italian policy has mainly concentrated on managing the back door of illegal entry. The paper provides an overview of Italian public policies and NGOs services for immigrants’ integration. By drawing from selected research, it attempts at demonstrating peculiarities and deficiencies of the integration measures adopted so far. Policy recommendations directed at civil dialogue and social cohesion are suggested at the end.