Abstract

The paper critically analyses the recent reform of Italian immigration law carried out by Act n. 189/2002 (known as Bossi-Fini Act). The author focuses the attention on the means used by the Italian Legislator in order to succeed in controlling migrant manpower access to the national labour market, distinguishing between instruments based on a macro consideration of the phenomenon (migratory fluxes programming procedures, international cooperation, regional participation to the procedures, European enlargement implications) and entrance procedures. The paper underlines controversial issues connected to various institutes (in particular to "Contratto di soggiorno" - resident contract - a unclear mixture between the resident permit and the employment contract) introduced by the Bossi-Fini Act with regards to the respect of the equality of treatment and opportunities principle.