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. The program is mainly called “Decreto Flusssi”. For employment in Itla under this visa stream, the visa duration is from 20 days up to a maximum of 9 months.
Every year, Italy recruits seasonal workers for its agricultural and tourism sectors (lavoro stagionale). This whole program works under an immigration flow (decreto flussi) that helps Italy to recruit non-European workers for its seasonal work visa and non-seasonal work visas.
Italy does need seasonal workers for its agricultural and tourism department to sustain itself. There are no set-aside requirements for seasonal visas. Even Italian language proficiency does not come into force as a hurdle. There are also no specific parameters for educational qualification as it is agricultural work so it does not matter if you have a Bachelor’s degree or a secondary school qualification. For seasonal visas, there are certain requirements one has to fulfill before applying.
To properly understand the quota system, application procedure, and opening/closing dates, we have to have a look at last year’s migration flow for detailed information as an example.
Decreto Flussi for 2020
Decreto flussi 2020 dates had been announced by the ministry of interior Italy. After a delay of almost 5 to 6 months, decreto flussi had been published on 12 October 2020 in the Official Journal (G.U. General Series, no. 252, of 12 October 2020). Applications could be sent from 9 am on 27 October by accessing the dedicated IT procedure on the website https://nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it, which can only be accessed with SPID credentials. Applications could be submitted until 31 December 2020. According to the officials, the visas (nulla osta) will be provided to the successful applicants till 31 March 2021.
18,000 visas have been reserved for seasonal employment in the agricultural and tourist-hotel sectors for 2020. 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.
How does a “seasonal visa” application Work?
If you are a national of one of the decreto flussi eligible countries, you will need a job offer from an Italian agricultural company or an employer. Once deals are done between you and your employer, the employer must submit a specific authorization request to the Single Desk for immigration with territorial jurisdiction online through the website https://nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it of the Ministry of the Interior.
After receiving the application, the Prefecture calls the employer who must bring these documents:
- revenue stamp or the receipt of payment of the 16.00 euro stamp duty used to send the online application
- if the employer is not an EU citizen: the original and copy of the unexpired residence permit or receipt of the renewal request
- original and copy of the employer’s identity document
- copy of the worker’s passport
- 1 revenue stamp of 16.00 euros
If the worker meets the legal requirements and has fallen under the entry quota, the competent Immigration Desk issue the work permit and at the same time send 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.
Within 8 working days of entering Italy, the worker must present himself to the employer at the Prefecture who must bring the following documents:
- 1 revenue stamp of 16.00 euros
- communication of the sale of a building or hospitality
- certificate of suitability for housing
On the day of the appointment, the Prefecture gives them:
- residence contract
- form for requesting a residence permit (Form 209) which must be signed by the worker
The worker goes to the “Sportelloamico” of a post office and hands over the kit to send the permit application (an envelope, the form, and the instructions). After filling in the form, send the application for a residence permit and the documents. Before sending the postal kit to the post office, photocopies of these documents must be made:
4 copies of the application for the residence permit (Form 209) signed in the Prefecture must be taken to the following offices:
- Questura (the day of the appointment indicated by the post office)
- The municipality (for residence and identity card requests)
- ASL (for health card request)
- copy that the worker must keep
2 copies of the residence contract signed in the Prefecture:
- one to put in the postal kit
- one to take to the police station
The worker goes to the “Sportelloamico” of a post office and sends, using the envelope provided by the Prefecture, the request for a residence permit, and the following documents (copies):
- passport (only pages with photos and visas)
- residence contract
- residence permit or, in case of the expired permit, receipt of the renewal request
- receipt of payment of the residence permit
The post office operator informs the worker of the date on which he must go to the police station for the first appointment and delivers the postal receipt for the residence permit request. This receipt is important because it shows that the worker can stay in Italy.
At the police station, the worker must deliver 4 passport-size photographs, a copy of the residence contract, a copy of Form 209, and have their fingerprints taken. The worker then receives an SMS message that informs him of the day on which to go to the police station to collect the residence permit ready. The work permit status can be checked at https://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/15002-Controlla_online_il_permesso_di_soggiorno/
Eligible countries for seasonal visas
The following non-EU countries’ candidates are eligible to apply under decreto flussi (seasonal visas) of 2020:
- 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 meant by a Postal kit?
This is the term that is commonly used to indicate the postal package delivered by the “friend counters” in some authorized post offices and contains the application forms for the issue, renewal, conversion, updating, a duplicate of the residence permit.
The envelope also contains the instructions for completing and the list of copies of the documents to be attached and a sheet with the codes to be used to complete the application. The envelope can be collected free of charge, can be completed independently, and must be sent by registered post with insurance at a cost of 30 euros.
What is a multi-year seasonal work visa?
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.
How to find an agricultural job in Italy?
It is surely not an easy task to get agricultural-based jobs in Italy as most of the time quota is filled quickly as for as the announcement of the ‘Decreto Flussi comes into action. But you can use your contacts in Italy for helping you get such jobs. On the other hand, you may check the following websites for online applications of job search: Click here to know more about finding jobs in Italy
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.