Worn down by COVID-induced recession and lured back to China by its greater success in combating the pandemic and brighter economic prospects, Chinese immigrants in Italian textile town Prato are returning back to their home country. As per a Business of Fashion report, many immigrants are leaving Italy due to economic hardships rather than fear of contagion, as Italy’s low budget textile industry has been hammered by repeated lockdowns.

The virus outbreak led to 8.9 per cent contraction in Italian economy last year and a loss of half a million jobs in the 12 months to March. While growing number of Chinese are leaving Prato, new arrivals have dried up, according to a town council manager, who cited school enrolment numbers.

Up to 2019, around 200 new Chinese pupils per year were enrolled in Prato’s schools while in 2020 and 2021 the figure was practically. Prato’s Chinese community has been hard hit by the recession as many worked in the shadow economy. This does not make eligible for government support based on businesses’ tax returns for the previous year.