This a significant milestone as it consolidates the joint commitment of institutions, businesses and civil society organisations to promoting the regular and safe entry of qualified refugees into Italy, while fostering the socio-economic development of the local area.
The initiative brings together a broad and complementary network of partners, including Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, the City of Turin, the Piedmont Region, the Prefecture of Turin, the Turin Industrial Union, UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency, theArchdiocese of Turin, the Reale Foundation, Fondazione Don Mario Operti, Agenzia Piemonte Lavoro, IRES Piemonte, Diaconia Valdese, Talent Beyond Boundaries and Pathways International.
The protocol builds upon and strengthens the national agreement signed in June*, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. The aim is to establish regular and safe pathways for labour mobility by creating a network of businesses, institutions and local communities.
To date, this approach has enabled the selection of 60 refugees from third countries – including Colombia, Egypt, Uganda and Jordan – who will soon arrive in Italy to work in strategic sectors such as airport logistics, shipbuilding, ICT and goldsmithing, responding to actual labour market needs while contributing to the socio-economic development of local areas.
The model is based on extra-quota pathways, combining technical and civic-linguistic training before arrival, and allows companies in Piedmont to tap into valuable skills, fostering a virtuous cycle of inclusion and development.
The Work Corridors active in Turin have already been recognised as a global best practice by the Mayors Migration Council, which has provided funding from the Global Cities Fund to support the model.
“Reception and regional development can go hand in hand through a model that brings together businesses, institutions and civil society to build inclusive communities and create decent work opportunities for all. Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo strongly supports this initiative, a concrete alliance for the future that places people at the centre and recognises the value of work as a means of autonomy and self-determination” commented Rosanna Ventrella, Vice Chair of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo.
The Protocol is part of a broader national and European contect that calls for safe and legal pathways for people in need of protection, at a time when Italy is facing a significant gap between labour supply and demand in key sectors. Turin continues to serve as a testing ground, drawing on its long-standing tradition of collaboration among institutions, businesses and the charitable sector to pilot innovative models of reception and labour market integration.
The involvement of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is aligned with the strategy outlined in the Working Together for Inclusion Mission of its People Goal, as set out in its Multi-Year Planning Document, reinforcing local networks and inclusion pathways that connect institutions, the charitable sector and local communities.. Drawing on its established expertise in workplace inclusion, migrant housing, and local cooperation, the Foundation contributes to the development of a stable, replicable and sustainable model that integrates solidarity, innovation and economic growth.
The Work Corridors embody this vision, promoting the talents of refugees, strengthening social cohesion and offering businesses tangible opportunities for development. Through initiatives such as this Protocol, Turing and Piedmont reaffirm their capacity to build networks, work in synergy with national and European institutions, and advance migration policies grounded in rights, decent work and local sustainability.
For further information, please read the full press release available at this link.
*27 June 2025 memorandum of understanding on work corridors for stateless people and refugees (https://www.unhcr.org/it/notizie/comunicati-stampa/rifugiati-firmato-oggi-il-protocollo-d-intesa-i-corridoi-lavorativi-0).
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