Free services for emigration to Italy available in Ruian

A center offering training services for people's emigration to Italy is unveiled in the city of Ruian, Zhejiang province on Sept 3. [Photo/zjsql.com.cn]

China's first center providing services for people who intend to emigrate to Italy opened in Ruian, a county-level city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province on Sept 3.

The center is supported by Italy's labor ministry and China's State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

Wenzhou is renowned for its large international population. Emigration to overseas countries, especially those in Europe, has had a long history in the city. Currently, among the overseas Chinese in Italy, 90 percent are from Wenzhou and 61 percent of these Wenzhou people are originally Ruian locals.

The newly established center targets those who plan to reunite with their family members working or living in Italy. It will organize a series of training courses of language learning, cultural knowledge, laws, foreigners' obligations, healthcare rights, education rights and labor markets in the European country to help participants learn more about the life there.

"Some children and senior citizens may find it difficult to integrate into the local life in Italy," said Zhang Ming who is in charge of the Wenzhou division of a China-Italy youth association, believing the courses will be especially beneficial to these two groups of people.

Zhou Jiao, whose parents have been in Italy for 15 years, plans to join them next year, after graduating from college. She was excited about the setup of the center and looked forward to the language and food courses there. "When I was in Italy before, I communicated with people in English or with body language. Thanks to the trainings, I will be able to get better accustomed to the country," she said.