Thousands of undocumented Gambian migrants in Italy will now be allowed to apply to temporarily stay and work in Italy under an amnesty announced by the Italian government. 

The amnesty covers all undocumented migrants working as farm workers and home carers. It was announced by the Italian government yesterday as part of a 

$59.6bn stimulus package to reboot the country’s economy after the devastating coronavirus crisis.

Italy is one of the European countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic with 222,104 and 31,106 deaths.

The amnesty was pushed by agriculture associations across Italy looking for workers to fill the gap left by Eastern European seasonal labourers who are stuck in their countries due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

Italy’s coalition government reached an agreement on migrant amnesty after months of cabinet wrangling and infighting. 

“We have reached an important result,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in a news conference on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting.

“This is a battle of civilisation because at its centre lay people’s dignity, fight against criminal organisations, against caporalato (a system based on the recruitment and exploitation of workers), the immersion of black work and the protection of employers and workers’ health, including the one surrounding them.”

According to the Italian government, the new residency permits will be valid for six months.