How to make immigration palatable in a populist age

Illustration: Simon Bailly/Sepia

Oct 22nd 2025|New York|7 min read

Businesses hiring migrants have a surprising new idol. The inspirational figure is neither a liberal nor a devotee of globalisation. It is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, who in 2022 climbed to power on a hard-right platform. She intends to issue 165,000 low-skilled work visas next year, up from 30,000 five years ago. Italy has also signed a labour-mobility deal with India that a recruiter praises as “one of the [world’s] most progressive”.