Working abroad
Coming to work in Italy from outside the EU
The legal routes into Italy for work if you are not an EU citizen: the flow decree, work authorisation (“nulla osta”), visa, residence permit, entries outside the quotas and the EU Blue Card. Plus the rights you have once you are here.
Who this is for
People living outside the European Union who want to work in Italy as employees, seasonal workers, highly qualified workers or self-employed. If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or of Switzerland, you do not need a work permit: read the page on free movement instead.
In short
- As a rule, the employer in Italy applies for the work authorisation (nulla osta) at the Single Desk for Immigration. You then apply for a visa at the Italian consulate.
- Many entries go through the flow decree quotas; some categories (for example the EU Blue Card) are outside the quotas.
- You must apply for a residence permit within 8 working days of entering Italy.
- With lawful residence you have the same work rights as Italian workers.
- Nobody can sell you a place in the quotas. Be wary of anyone asking for money for a nulla osta.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and have exceptions. Always check the official text in the sources below and, for your own case, talk to a trade union, a qualified lawyer or the competent public authority.
The basic rule: the Consolidated Immigration Act
The main rules are in Italy’s Consolidated Immigration Act (Legislative Decree No. 286 of 25 July 1998). It guarantees foreign workers who reside lawfully in Italy, and their families, equal treatment and full equality of rights with Italian workers. [1] In practice: same collective agreement, same minimum pay for the sector, same paid leave, same protection against unlawful dismissal.
The flow decree: the quotas
The government sets, by a Prime Ministerial decree (DPCM), how many foreign workers may enter each year for employment, seasonal work and self-employment. [2] For 2026-2028 the applicable decree is the DPCM of 2 October 2025 (Official Gazette No. 240 of 15 October 2025). It provides for 497,550 entries over the three years, including 164,850 for 2026. [3] Part of the quotas is reserved for citizens of countries that have migration cooperation agreements with Italy (including Albania, Morocco, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Ukraine). [3]
Applications are filled in online on the Interior Ministry’s ALI Services Portal, within the windows and on the dates (the so-called “click days”) set by the decree and its implementing circular. [4] [12] Dates change every year: check them only on official websites.
The steps for an employed job
- Work authorisation (nulla osta). The employer files the request with the Single Desk for Immigration at the prefecture. First, the public employment centre must check that no suitable worker already in Italy is available. [5]
- Visa. With the nulla osta you apply for a work visa at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country. [5]
- Residence contract. Within 15 days of your arrival, you and the employer sign the “contratto di soggiorno” (a digital signature is allowed); the employer sends it online to the Single Desk, which starts the residence permit procedure. Until it is signed, the nulla osta already allows you to work. [5]
- Residence permit. You must apply to the police headquarters (Questura) of the province within eight working days of entering Italy. [6]
Other routes
- Seasonal work in agriculture and tourism/hospitality: the permit lasts at most nine months in any twelve. After at least three months of regular work, if you have an offer of a fixed-term or permanent job, you can ask the Single Desk to convert it into a permit for employment. [7]
- Self-employment: it falls within the quotas and requires, among other things, adequate resources, housing and the qualifications needed for the activity. The consulate issues the visa. [8]
- Special cases outside the quotas: for example managers and highly specialised staff, university professors, professional nurses, and highly qualified digital nomads and remote workers. [9]
- EU Blue Card: for highly qualified workers (a degree of at least three years or, in some cases, professional experience) with a minimum annual salary. It is outside the quotas. The rules were updated by Legislative Decree No. 152 of 18 October 2023, transposing Directive (EU) 2021/1883. [10]
Some permits can be converted into a work permit, for example a seasonal permit (after three months) or a study permit. The conditions depend on the permit: ask the Single Desk or a “patronato” (free advice office). [7] [3]
Undeclared work and exploitation: what the law says
An employer who employs foreign workers without a valid residence permit commits a crime, punishable by six months to three years in prison and a fine for each worker. [5] The Criminal Code also punishes “caporalato”, that is, illegal labour intermediation and labour exploitation. [11]
If you are a victim of exploitation and help bring the facts to light, the Questura, on a proposal from the judicial authority, can issue a “special cases” residence permit. It lasts one year, can be renewed and allows you to work. This protection was introduced by Decree-Law No. 145 of 11 October 2024. [13]
Watch out for scams. The employer applies for the nulla osta online with the Interior Ministry. Apart from the stamp duties and fees set by law, nobody may ask you for money to “put you in the quotas” or to “buy” a nulla osta. If someone does, it is a serious red flag: read the page on fair recruitment.
Checklist
- Do you have a written offer from a real employer, stating job, hours, pay and the collective agreement applied?
- Has the employer filed the application on the ALI Portal? Ask for the application number.
- Have you checked this year’s dates and rules on integrazionemigranti.gov.it or on the Interior Ministry website?
- After arrival: residence contract signed within 15 days (the employer sends it to the Single Desk) and permit application within 8 working days.
- Keep copies of the nulla osta, visa, contract and the receipt of your permit application.
- Did you pay someone for the job? Talk to a trade union or a patronato straight away.