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WORK PERMITS

How many people does Italy grant work permits to every year?

If you’re planning to move to Italy for work from outside Europe, you’ll need to consider whether you qualify for a work permit under Italy’s ‘decreto flussi’, or foreign workers quota. Here's how many people are eligible.

Italy has released its annual quota for foreign workers permitted to enter the country for 2022.
Italy has released its annual quota for foreign workers permitted to enter the country for 2022. Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

One piece of good news for those planning a move is that the Italian government has increased the number of foreign workers allowed into the country this year

The government this week approved the latest annual decreto flussi (which translates as ‘flows decree’), the annual limit on the number of permits issued to those coming from outside the EEA to work.

READ ALSO: Freelance or employee: Which is the best way to work in Italy?

Up to 69,700 workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will be able to enter Italy for work purposes in 2022 under the quota.

This number is up significantly from 2021, when just over 30,000 non-EEA citizens were legally allowed to move to Italy for work.

Which types of workers can apply for a permit?

This year, the majority of permits (42,000) are for temporary seasonal workers, according to Italy’s Ministry of Labour and Social Policies has confirmed. Of these, 14,000 are for agricultural workers.

Another 27,000 permits are available for those on “non-seasonal contracts” (employees) and self-employed workers. Of these, 20,000 spots are for people employed in road transport, construction and the tourism (hotel) sector.

Up to 100 places are specifically for workers from Venezuela of Italian origin “on the part of at least one of their parents up to the third degree of direct ancestry”, according to the labour ministry.

Italy will allow another 100 admissions for foreign workers who have completed training and education in their country of origin, the ministry stated.

READ ALSO: What’s the difference between Italian residency and citizenship?

A total of 500 places are reserved for self-employed workers again in 2022, as has been the case in previous years – and there are strict criteria for those applying. 

Eligible categories include “entrepreneurs carrying out activities of interest to the Italian economy that involve the use of their own resources of no less than €500,000 and coming from lawful sources,” and resulting in “the creation of at least three new jobs”.

Other categories include “artists of clear fame or of high and well-known professional qualification”.

The remaining 7,000 places provided for under the decree are reserved for those who need to convert a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) held for other reasons, such as study, into a residence permit for work.

How do you apply?

The process begins with applying for the permit (nulla osta). You can access the application form here.

Applications open at 9am on January 27th for self-employed workers, employers of non-seasonal workers, and those converting an existing residency permit. Seasonal workers can apply from 9am on February 1st.

For seasonal and non-seasonal employment it is the employers who must apply, while for the self-employed and conversions, the applicant must complete the process themselves.

The application can only be filed online via the Interior Ministry’s website. You will need an Italian SPID electronic ID to do so – find out more about getting these credentials here.

On the application form, you will need to include details of where you’ll live in Italy as well as documents necessary for carrying out the work, such as a copy of the employment contract or any relevant licences.

READ ALSO: Visas and residency permits: How to move to Italy (and stay here)

Applications close on March 17th 2022 and will be processed by the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione (immigration office) in the chronological order in which they are received.

This means it’s important to begin the visa application procedure as soon as possible after the publication of the quota list – most quotas are filled within a few days. 

Any applications arriving after the quota is filled, or which are completed incorrectly, are rejected, and you can’t apply twice in the same year.

What happens next?

Getting one of these permits is just the start. As a non-EEA citizen, there are three main documents you’ll need to live and work in Italy: a work permit (nulla osta), a work visa (visto) and a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).

If your permit application is successful, you can then apply for your visa. This must be done before you leave for Italy, at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country of origin.

From there, you may enter Italy, but still need to apply for an Italian residence permit within 8 days of arriving in Italy. The permesso di soggiorno is the documentation that allows you to legally stay in the country.

Note: The nulla osta is valid for six months. This means that you must enter Italy and apply for the residence permit within that six-month period.

Useful links:

Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual cases or assist with job applications.

For more information about visa and residency permit applications, see the Italian Foreign Ministry’s visa website, or contact your embassy or local Questura (police headquarters) in Italy.

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For members

AMERICANS IN ITALY

LISTED: The visa options Americans can apply for to live in Italy

Moving to Italy is a dream for many US nationals who have fallen in love with the country, but which Italian residency visa should Americans opt for depending on their circumstances?

LISTED: The visa options Americans can apply for to live in Italy

It can be quite confusing for Americans who want to move to Italy as there are a number of different visa options available and a whole raft of requirements in order to be eligible for them. 

US nationals don’t have the automatic right to get a job in Italy or anywhere else in the EU because of their status as third-country nationals within Europe’s single market, but thankfully some visas will allow you to work here. 

Elective residency visa

The elective residency visa, or ERV, is designed for those who want to live in Italy and have the financial means to support themselves without working. Because you can’t work while on the ERV, it’s sometimes referred to as a retirement visa. 

You’ll need to prove you receive an annual passive income of at least €31,000 euros per person or €38,000 for married couples, plus five percent per dependent minor, though some consulates require more.

READ ALSO: Five expert tips for getting your Italian elective residency visa approved

This can be rental income, a pension, annuities, or some other source, but simply having significant savings in the bank doesn’t count: it has to be in the form of a fixed and reliable passive income stream.

Find out more about applying for an Italian elective residency visa.

Family visa

The family visa is available to US dependents of either an Italian citizen or a US citizen with an Italian stay permit. It allows entrance in Italy to the spouse, children or dependent parents.

You will need to provide evidence of your relationship with the person whose dependent you will be, for instance marriage or birth certificates.

Find out more about applying for an Italian family visa.

Employee work permit

This option has the obvious drawback that you need to have received and accepted an offer of a job in Italy in order to be eligible.

The good news is that your employer will then complete most of the visa application process for you – all you need to do is provide them with the relevant paperwork.

Your employer will apply for permission to hire a migrant worker from the immigration desk at their local prefettura (prefecture, the regional office of the central government). Once you get authorisation, the prefettura will inform the Italian consulate or embassy in your home country that your application can go ahead.

Student visa

To apply for a long-stay (type D) student visa, you’ll need to be accepted onto a course that lasts longer than three months.

When applying you should provide a letter of acceptance to your course in Italy, as well as proof of accommodation, sufficient financial means and health insurance.

There is no age limit, and the visa allows you to work up to 20 hours per week and bring family members to live with you.

Find out more about applying for an Italian student visa.

A student visa can be one way to enter Italy on a longer-term basis. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP.

Golden visa

Italy does not technically offer a golden visa, but this is how its investor visa is often referred to. This scheme allows non-EU citizens such as Americans the right to live in Italy if they meet the key requirements, namely a minimum investment of €250,000 to €2 million in certain companies, charities or government bonds.

This visa entitles you two years’ residency, renewable for further three-year periods, and special tax benefits. Investors’ families are eligible to apply for dependent visas.

READ ALSO: Does Italy have a golden visa?

To obtain a visa, US investors must obtain a nulla osta (certificate of no impediment) issued by the Investors Committee for Italy (IV4I); you then have six months from its issuance to make the application for an investor visa.

Other visas

The above visas are the main ones suited to Americans looking to move to Italy longer-term, though there are a number of other visas available, including the internship visa, the startup visa, and the self-employed visa.

These visas all have stringent requirements that make them challenging to obtain.

To successfully apply for the internship visa, you must have been offered a paid vocational training course of between three and 12 months by a host organisation that will commit to paying your food and board and funding your repatriation in case of an emergency.

The self-employed visa might sound like an ideal solution if your job allows you to work from anywhere, and is currently the closest thing Italy has to a digital nomad visa.

In reality, however, experts have told us that successful applications for these visas are extremely rare, so it isn’t an option for most people.

The startup visa requires you to apply through a startup that is headquartered in Italy and less than four years old, and has a team composed of one third PhD students or two thirds MA students, or holds a patent, industrial property right or original software registered with the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers (SIAE).

On arrival

Remember that your visa isn’t the only permission you’ll need if you want to live in Italy. 

After you enter Italy with a long-stay visa, you have eight days to apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno). The length of time this document will remain valid depends on the type of visa you have.

You’ll also need to apply for a tax code and register as resident with your local comune, or town hall.

Find out more about what you’ll need to do once you land in Italy here.

Please note The Local is unable to advise on individual cases. For more information on whether you are eligible to apply for a visa, contact the Italian consulate in your country or consult an immigration law specialist.

Read out more about applying for a visa in our Italian visa section.

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