AN OVERVIEW OF THE OFW LABOR MARKET IN ITALY
PART ONE

(SOURCE: LABOR ATTACHE CORAZON C. ALFONSO, OIC-DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT)

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. The largest concentration of Filipinos in Europe can be found in Italy. As of December 2004, there are an estimated 147,000 Filipinos living and working in Italy. Of this, 96,000 are in the territorial jurisdiction of Rome (Philippine Embassy), while 51,000 are in the territorial jurisdiction of Milan (Philippine Consulate-General).

2. Of the 96,000 Filipinos in Rome, an estimated 74,000 are temporary migrants (holders of a permesso di soggiorno). An estimated 15,000 Filipinos are permanent migrants (holders of carta di soggiorno), while 7,500 are irregular or undocumented migrants. (Source: Italy’s Ministry of the Interior)

An estimated 51,000 Filipinos are living and working in the territorial jurisdiction of Milan. Only a small portion is undocumented (500).

(Almost every two years, the Italian government gives an opportunity for undocumented/ irregular aliens to regularize their status through an amnesty program; thus it is believed that not many OFWs remain undocumented.)

II. OCCUPATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

1. 52,748 registered Filipinos in Rome, Italy, belong to the category of “lavoro subordinato (anche stagionale)”. The term could be roughly translated as “employees (including seasonal ones)”. This means that they are employed, either on a part-time or a full-time basis. Our domestic helpers (DH) belong to this category.

2 . 10,447 of the total registered Filipino population are in Italy for “motivi di famiglia” or for family reasons.

3. 3,583 are in Italy for religious reasons or “motivi religiosi”. That is, they are here on the basis of their status either as priests, nuns, or religious workers.

4. 743 fall under the category of “lavoro subordinato (atteza occupacione)” or employees with pending (legal) employment status.

5. Finally, the remaining 2,082 fall under other occupational categories/status.

Note: An estimated 80 percent of OFWs in Italy are domestic helpers (female), although there are OFWs employed in restaurants, hospitals, warehouses, factories, building maintenance, stores, food chains, hotels, and other service sectors. Many of these OFWs are professionals but they land work as domestic helpers because their college degrees are not recognized in Italy.

[PART TWO SHALL CONTINUE NEXT MONTH]

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