The “Decreto Flussi” (immigration flow) is issued every year and provides for the number of foreign citizens who can enter Italy to carry out non-seasonal, subordinate work, and self-employment. A special “Decreto Flussi” is envisaged for seasonal workers. “Decreto Flussi” visa system works under Legislative Decree 286/98 art. 5, 24 and 26 and DPCM flows 2008.
How the “Decreto Flussi” application system works
Applying for a work permit
The application for authorization for subordinate work must be submitted, on the dates provided for by the decree, by the employer who submits a specific application online. In the application, the employer specifies the type of job offer and the future residence place of the worker.
If the application is filled in correctly – after the checks at the police headquarters and the Provincial Labor Directorate – the applications are accepted in chronological order. The employer is then notified by the “one-stop-shop for immigration” for submitting the original documents and to get the work permit approval which will be sent at the same time to the Italian diplomatic representation of the country of residence of the applicant. At that point. The must be a non-EU citizen who will be able to go to the embassy to collect the entry visa for work in Italy. After due processing, the applicant is provided a visa type D to enter Italy.
The entry visa for work is called type D – for stays longer than 90 days. Within 8 days from the date of entry in Italy, the worker must go to the one-stop-shop with the employer to fill in the application forms for the residence permit for subordinate work to be sent via the post office and sign the residence contract.
Applying for a self-employed visa
The “Decreto Flussi” also provides for specific entry quotas for self-employment. Also for this type of work, entry into Italy by visa is subject to the issuance of the work permit. Unlike subordinate work, however, the request for authorization must be presented directly by the worker or by his attorney at the competent Police Headquarters based on the place where the activity will be based, upon presentation of the declaration of issue of the qualification or a certificate from part of the competent Chamber of Commerce, Industry or Crafts. The police headquarters within 20 days – once the requirements have been verified – issue the “Nulla Osta” (residence permit) directly to the person concerned or to his or her attorney.
Within three months, the foreign citizen must report to the Italian diplomatic representation in the country of origin or provenance to request the issue of an entry visa. Once in Italy, you can submit the application for a residence permit for self-employment through the post office by filling in the appropriate postal kit.
Applying for a seasonal visa
For seasonal work, a specific decree is issued every year with the quota of the number of foreign citizens who can enter Italy to carry out seasonal work. Within this type of employment, only those activities limited in time to a minimum period can be included. The visa duration could be of 20 days up to a maximum of 9 months.
As for application for subordinate work, the employer must submit online through the website of the Ministry of the Interior a specific request for a permit to the Single Desk for immigration with territorial jurisdiction. If the worker meets the legal requirements and has returned to the entry quotas, the competent Immigration Desk calls the employer to deliver the permit and at the same time sends a copy to the Italian diplomatic representation in the country of origin or residence of the foreign worker.
At this point, the seasonal worker can go to the Italian consulate to apply for a visa. Once in Italy, he must go to the Immigration Office which issued the authorization to fill in the application forms for the residence permit for seasonal subordinate work, which must then be sent via a postal kit.
The eligible countries
The “Decreto Flussi” system is only for eligible countries. The candidates of the following countries can apply for the visa under “Decreto Flussi”:
- Albania
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Korea (Republic of Korea)
- Ivory Coast
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Ethiopia
- Philippines
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Japan
- India
- Kosovo
- Mali
- Morocco
- Mauritius
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Republic of North Macedonia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Tunisia
- Ukraine
What is the quota of the “Decreto Flussi”
The Italian government decides each year on the basis of its needs the quota of Decreto Flussi. This often remains however same every year. In general, a quota of 30,850 is set for seasonal and non-seasonal workers each year. To discuss the quota system in detail, here we will get the examples from the last year’s quota system:
1- Decreto Flussi Quota for seasonal visas
The quota is divided between the regions and the autonomous provinces, by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies (the example year 2020). About 18,000 visas have been reserved for seasonal employment in the agricultural and tourist-hotel sectors. As part of this quota, by way of experimentation, 6,000 units are reserved for agricultural workers from the same countries, the requests of which will be presented, in the name and on behalf of the employers, by the following organizations: Cia, Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Copagri, Alliance of cooperatives (includes Lega cooperatives and Confcooperative). Whereas 1,000 of the 18,000 quotas are reserved for entrances for multi-year seasonal work.
The multi-year seasonal visa is without the limitation of 9 months’ normal visa duration. One of the main advantages of the multi-year permit is that of allowing the seasonal worker to enter Italy the following year regardless of the publication of the flows decree for seasonal work. The request for employment in the event of a multi-year seasonal permit for the years following the first can also be made by an employer other than the employer who has obtained the three-year permit for seasonal work.
2- Decreto Flussi quota for non-seasonal visas
There has been set aside distribution of quota among different types of non-seasonal work visas (the example year (2020).
Out of 12,850, a total of 6,150 visas are reserved for those who must convert the residence permit already held for another reason into work. This quota of 6,150 has further divided as follows:
- There have been reserved 4,060 visas for those with a residence permit for seasonal work to be converted into a residence permit for non-seasonal subordinate work.
- 1,500 visas have been reserved for those with a residence permit for study, internship, and/or professional training to be converted into a residence permit for subordinate work.
- Those with a residence permit for study, internship, and/or professional training to be converted into a residence permit for self-employment will be having a quota of 370.
- Candidates who have an EC residence permit for long-term residents issued not by Italy but by another Member State of the European Union to be converted into a residence permit for subordinate work are given a quota of 200.
- Those who have an EC long-term residence permit issued by another EU Member State to be converted into a residence permit for self-employment have been given a quota of 20.
Furthermore, out of a total of 12,850, a total of 6,700 foreign workers are admitted to Italy for non-seasonal subordinate work and self-employment. This quota has also had specific division as follows:
- A total of 6,000 visas are reserved for recruitment in the road transport, construction, and tourism-hotel sectors. 4,500 out of it are reserved for the aforementioned countries. Whereas 1,500 has been reserved for the citizens of other countries with whom cooperation agreements on migration will enter into force during the year 2020.
- For foreign workers who have completed training and education programs in the countries of origin pursuant to art. 23 of the legislative decree 25 July 1998, n. 286 will be able to use a quota of 100.
- 100 visas have been reserved for foreign workers of Italian origin for at least one of the parents up to the third degree of the direct line of ancestry, residing in Venezuela.
- 500 self-employed workers will be allowed to come as well under this category.
What is the SPID?
SPID is the access system that allows you to use the online services of the Public Administration and accredited private individuals with a unique digital identity. If you already have a digital identity, log in with your manager’s credentials. If you don’t have a digital identity yet, request it from one of the managers.
For creating a SPID from abroad, you need:
- an e-mail address
- the phone number of the mobile phone you normally use
- a valid Italian identity document (one of identity card, passport, driving license)
- your income tax number
How to get SPID?
To get SPID, choose one of the Identity Providers and register on their site. The registration consists of 3 steps:
- Enter your personal data
- Create your SPID credentials
- Carry out the recognition of your choice between: in person, online, or via CIE, CNS, or digital signature.
The timing of issuing digital identity depends on individual Identity Providers. You can apply for SPID here.