Antonio Alessandro, the Italian ambassador to Bangladesh, has announced that his nation will endeavour to resolve the issue of work visas following complaints that the processing of visas for Bangladeshi applicants seeking employment is taking excessively long.

These comments, according to the local media, were made when Ambassador Alessandro welcomed Jashim Uddin as the new secretary and asked him to strengthen the two countries' bilateral ties with Italy.

Ambassador Alessandro confirmed Italy’s will to resolve the outstanding work visa issue at an early date and cooperate further to curb irregular migration and promote legal pathways for skills mobility from Bangladesh to Italy, during the maiden courtesy call on the Foreign Secretary. 
--Italy Visa Application Center Dhaka

The Italian Embassy has recommended applicants not to use intermediaries when submitting their Schengen visa applications because this is one of the factors contributing to the lengthy processing times. Other concerns include the organised crime groups' attacks on the visa system and their attempts to submit forged paperwork.

The ambassador promised to assist in reducing irregular migration and to expeditiously resolve the work visa issue. There are thousands of Bangladeshis living throughout the EU, making up the second-largest diaspora in Europe.

Italian Ambassador Announces Tougher Anti-Immigration Measures

In addition to pledging to expedite the processing of work visas, the Italian ambassador spared some time to clarify that his government is currently developing new policies intended to reduce immigration. Strict measures are being put in place to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

The Ambassador of Italy H.E. Mr. Antonio Alessandro congratulated Ambassador Mr. Md. Jashim Uddin on his appointment as the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and hoped that bilateral relations between the two friendly countries will be further strengthened in the coming days. 
--Italy Visa Application Center Dhaka