Italy Has Increased the Limit of Work Permits for Third-country Nationals

What happened? The Italian government has approved the latest annual "decreto flussi" (the Decree on flows), which specifies an annual limit on the number of work permits for visitors from outside the EEA. The new quota is 69,700 permits. This number has increased significantly since last year when slightly more than 30 thousand third-country citizens received the right to enter the country for employment.

In general, the number of immigrants in Italy is decreasing, and new citizens are growing.

Categories of employees

• According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Italy, in 2022, the majority of permits (42,000) are intended for temporary seasonal workers. Of these, 14,000 are for agricultural workers.
• Another 27,000 permits are available for those who work on "off-season contracts" (employees) and the self-employed. Of these, 20,000 seats are intended for people employed in the segment of transport, construction, and tourism (hotel) sector.
• Up to 100 seats are designed specifically for workers from Venezuela of Italian origin.

The ministry said that Italy will allow the admission of another 100 foreign specialists who have been trained and educated in their country of origin.

Entrepreneurs. In 2022, as in previous years, 500 places are reserved for the self-employed again, and strict criteria apply for submitting applications.

• Acceptable categories include "entrepreneurs engaged in activities of interest to the Italian economy. The opening of the enterprise involves the use of its resources of at least 500,000 euro, which come from legitimate sources." It is also required to "create at least three new jobs."
• Other categories include artists "with fame or high professional qualifications."
• The remaining seven thousand places provided for by the decree are reserved for those who need to convert a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) obtained for other reasons, such as study, into a residence permit for work.

Conditions. The process begins with the application for a permit (nulla osta). The application can only be submitted online through the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. To do this, you will need an Italian electronic identifier SPID. The form will need to indicate the planned address of residence in Italy, as well as attach the documents necessary to perform the work, such as a copy of the employment contract or any relevant licenses.

Acceptance of applications ends on March 17, 2022. They will be processed by Sportello Unico per l'immigrazione (Immigration Service) in the order of receipt. Applications received after the specified date, filling in the quota, or filled out incorrectly, are rejected, and it is impossible to apply again in the same year.

Source: The Local
Photo by Olivier Darny, Pexels

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