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Italy has for some years been attracting considerable numbers of legal and illegal immigrants from all over the world. Some want to settle in Italy, others just want to use it as a gateway to Europe. As a result, current Italian immigration law is strongly influenced by political and social considerations that range from fear of being overwhelmed by people of other cultures and religions, to a realisation that the country probably needs immigrants, both skilled and unskilled, to continue functioning. At present, the fear aspect tends to outweigh the sense of opportunity, and any difficulties that you encounter in trying to obtain a visa to live and work in Italy almost certainly reflect this.