How To Get A Work Visa For Italy
Do you want to go Italy as an expatriate? Find out how you can get a work visa for Italy by reading this article. Search for jobs in your field, find jobs which require you to relocate and don’t forget about the benefits of living in Italy!
Many people seek to work in Italy, either in the country or abroad. But to do so, you’ll need a work visa. Depending on the industry you plan to work in and your former country of residence, you may need a different kind of visa. Here’s what the visa requirements are for several scenarios.
If you are a citizen of the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you want to work in Italy, then you do not need a visa to live and work here. However, different rules apply if you are from a country outside the EU.
There are many reasons to move abroad and many reasons to stay put. However, one good reason to go would be the chance to work as a foreigner in Italy. The opportunities are wide ranging and include everything from language coaching to teaching abroad to a variety of jobs related to the arts and crafts industry.
How To Get A Work Visa For Italy
When you’re invited to interview for a position in Italy, the only thing that might be more thrilling is discovering that once you’ve landed there, your company will provide an apartment, an internet connection and a year of Italian classes…
The Italy work visa is a type of Italian Long-Stay visa, also known as a National or D-Visa. The Italian work visa is simply an entrance visa. This means that it grants you permission to enter Italy, but you still need to get additional permission to stay (a residence permit or permesso di soggiorno).
You must apply for your permesso di soggiorno within eight days after you have already entered Italy.
Before You Apply for the Italy Work Visa
Before you can apply for an Italy work visa, you have to make sure that you can. That’s because the Italian government only accepts work permit applications for a few months every one or two years, depending on Italy’s job market and the state of immigration.
In addition to that, there is also a set quota of how many work permits Italy will issue.
This is called a Decreto Flussi (translating to “flow decree”). In 2019, the Decreto Flussi opened in April, and the Italizan government set a quota of 30,850 work permits – the same as in 2018. Through the Decreto Flussi, the Italian government issues work permits for seasonal and non-seasonal workers.
This means that you can only apply for an Italy work visa if:
- The Decreto Flussi is open
- The yearly quota hasn’t been filled
- You have an employer in Italy who will apply for your work permit (Nulla Osta)*
- You are granted a work permit
*An Italian work permit is called a Nulla Osta al lavoro. Your employer has to apply for a Nulla Osta document at their province’s (Preffetura’s) Immigration Office (Sportello Unico d’Immigrazione – SUI).
The Italian government also issues work permits for foreign nationals who are already living in Italy and want to convert their current student or training residence permit into a work residence permit.
How Can I Get an Italian Work Visa and Permit?
So, you’re a foreign national who wants to move to Italy and find a job. Unfortunately, if you are a non-EU citizen, you need to already have a job in Italy (and have fulfilled several conditions) before you can apply for an Italy Work Visa.
For non-EU nationals, receiving permission to live and work in Italy involves a three-part process:
- Find an Italian employer who will hire you and apply for your work permit (they have to apply for your work authorization in Italy). Only after your employer receives your work permit and sends it to you, you can:
- Apply for an Italy Work Visa at the Italian Representation in your home country. If you receive the Italy Work Visa, only then you can:
- Enter Italy and apply for a Residence Permit to be allowed to stay and work in the country legally.
In addition, you only have a short window of time during which you can apply for an Italian Work Visa. The Italian Government also sets out yearly quotas in regards to how many non-EU citizens they will issue work visas to.
What documents do I need to provide to support my Italy Work Visa application?
When applying for an Italy work visa, you must have a set of supporting documents that are required for an Italian visa application. The additional requirements for an Italy Work Visa include:
- Copy of your signed work contract.
- The original and a copy of your Nulla Osta.
- Completed Italian Long-Stay Visa Application form.
- Passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months after the duration of your visa.
- Passport pictures.
- Proof of accommodation in Italy.
- Proof of sufficient financial means.
- Proof of paid visa fee.
- Diplomas/other certificates.
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of requirements. The requirements for an Italy work visa change depending on the country and specific case, therefore you should always contact the appropriate authority where you are applying for a work visa for more information.
The Italian authorities reserve the right to request any documents as they see fit.
In addition, you have to send your employer in Italy whatever documents that they need in order to apply for your work permit. Because your employer applies for your work permit at their province’s Immigration office (and each immigration office has different requirements), you must contact your employer in regards to what documents they need from you.
Where and when can you apply for an Italy Work Visa?
If the Italian immigration office grants you a work permit, your employer has to send the permit to you (usually electronically). The Italian Government also notifies the Italian representation in your country (such as an Italian embassy or consulate), in which you will apply for a work visa.
If your country has no Italian Representation, you must apply at the Visa Application Center or another Schengen country’s representation that Italy has outsourced visa applications to.
You must submit the application in person after you have collected all the necessary documents and downloaded and completed the Italy Visa Application Form.
