Integration or ReImmigrazione: why this is not “remigration” and why work alone is no longer enough

Welcome to a new episode of the podcast Integration or ReImmigrazione.
My name is Fabio Loscerbo. I am an Italian attorney, and in this episode I want to explain a legal paradigm that is often misunderstood, especially when it is confused with the idea of “remigration”.

For many years, immigration policy in Europe has been driven almost entirely by economic logic. As long as a migrant works, their presence is accepted. When employment ends, legal stability collapses. In this system, work is treated as the foundation of the right to stay.

But work is not integration. Work can be a positive indicator, a sign of participation, but it cannot replace integration as a legal and civic relationship between the individual and the State.

Integration means respecting the law, learning the language, accepting the rules of the host society and behaving in a way that is compatible with public order and social cohesion. Without these elements, employment becomes a temporary justification rather than a stable basis for remaining in the country.

This is where the paradigm Integration or ReImmigrazione begins. It is not ideological. It is rooted in the rule of law. The right to stay is neither automatic nor unconditional. It depends on integration that can be assessed, measured and verified.

At this point, a clarification is essential. This paradigm is not “remigration” as it is sometimes discussed in parts of the German political debate. That concept often carries collective, ideological or identity-based implications. ReImmigrazione, by contrast, is individual, conditional and legally structured. It does not target groups or origins. It focuses on conduct and personal responsibility, assessed case by case.

A central instrument of this approach is the Integration Agreement, introduced in Italy by the Berlusconi government to make integration enforceable rather than symbolic. The idea was simple: language skills, civic knowledge and lawful behaviour should matter, and the right to stay should be linked to them. Today, this instrument still exists in law, but it is largely disapplied.

The real operational testing ground of Integration or ReImmigrazione today is complementary protection. This form of protection does not grant an unconditional right to remain. It is based on an individual assessment of integration and proportionality. Crucially, it requires the deposit of the passport with the authorities.

This point matters. It ensures that, if integration fails, the State retains the practical ability to implement ReImmigrazione. Integration without enforcement is not compassionate governance. It is weak governance.

From a UK perspective, this logic should sound familiar. Public trust depends on the credibility of the system. A State must be able to grant permission to stay, but also to require departure when conditions are no longer met. Without that balance, the rule of law loses legitimacy.

Integration or ReImmigrazione is not about being harsh. It is about being coherent. Those who integrate stay. Those who refuse integration return. Clear rules, individual responsibility and effective enforcement. That is not extremism. It is institutional realism.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Integration or ReImmigrazione.