The Italian government has suspended the issuance of work permits to Pakistani nationals and several other countries citing use of forged documents in applications.
“Following the enactment of Legislative Decree No. 145 of October 11, 2024, the validation of work NOCs previously issued in favor of nationals of certain countries, including Pakistan, is suspended until the ‘Sportello Unico Valid verification by Immigrazione’ is not completed,” the Embassy of Italy in Islamabad said in a notice.
The embassy further announced the suspension of work entry visas to nationals of countries, including Pakistan, whose applications are pending till October 11, adding that new visa applications cannot be received until verified by the authorised “Sportello Unico Immigrazione”.
Applicants seeking retrieval of their passports may formally request return from external service provider BLS International, the Italian Embassy said.
“Applicants, employers and lawyers are invited to refrain from sending emails to the Embassy or BLS regarding the verification of their work NOC, as the relative process is made in Italy,” the notice said.
“NOC holders might want to contact their prospective employers in Italy for updates on the verification status of their NOC. Work NOC will not expire pending confirmation by the ‘Sportello Unico Immigrazione’. The processing of other types of visas (such as family, study, business and tourism) remains unchanged.”
