Italy’s work visa is possible through many ways such as the immigration programs of Decreto Flussi or the visa conversion system. Students and temporary trainees/interns in Italy also have a chance to convert their visas into work permits. Nulla Osta al lavoro is an Italian work permit. A non-EU national will be required to have a job offer from Italy before he applies for a work permit. Generally, the Italian Work Visa is valid for the period of the work agreement, but a maximum of 24 months. However, it can be renewed for up to 5 years.
The important conditions to apply for the Italian work permit are as follows:
- the Decreto Flussi (yearly based immigration program) is open;
- the reserved quota is available;
- you have found an employer in Italy who will provide you with a job offer letter and apply for your work permit.
Who handles the work permit process?
Your visa application process is a combination of your and your employer’s efforts. The process is as follows:
Application process by the employer:
- Your employer in Italy will provide you with a job letter;
- they have to submit the work permit application in Italy for a Nulla Osta at their province’s (Preffetura’s) Immigration Office (Sportello Unico d’Immigrazione – SUI);
- they will also do your registration in Italy. Once your work permit application is approved, your employer confirms your work permit and sends it to you.
Application process by the applicant:
According to the rules, your employer should dispatch you the permit if the Italian authorities grant you a work permit. the Italian officers will also inform the Italian embassy in your country of origin.
In case you have no Italian embassy in your homeland then you will submit your file at the Visa Application Center or another Schengen country representation that Italy has outsourced visa application. You will apply in person when you have gathered all the required papers and downloaded and fulfilled the Italy Visa Application Form.
If you fulfill the requirements according to Italian demands, you will get the visa within six months approximately.
When you are in Italy the initial step is to get a residence permit, so you can stay and work there legally. You have to follow all these steps when you apply:
- Original and photocopy of your Italian work permit;
- a signed photocopy of your work contract;
- completed the Italian long-stay Visa application form;
- your passport with a minimum of two empty pages which is valid for a minimum of 3 months after the period of your visa;
- your passport pictures are in line with Italy visa photo demands;
- evidence of your living conditions in Italy;
- you fulfill the required financial requirements;
- and a receipt of your paid visa fee;
- Your certificates and educational documents.
Furthermore, the Italian Authorities may ask you and your employer for further documents if they need them.
Work visa rules for EU-Citizens
Since Italy is part of the European Union, any EU citizen can enter the country and start working without any authorization (like a work permit). But they have to obtain a “Declaration of Presence” from the local police office or Questura. If an EU citizen wants to stay longer than three months, however, he or she must also apply for a residence permit.
Permesso di Soggiorno card is a residence permit. You will apply for this card after landing in Italy within eight days. You will apply for the residence permit at your city’s local post office, at the time you will need your work permit and work visa when you apply, along with supporting papers. Then, it is the Foreign Department (Ufficio Stranieri) of your local Italian Police Headquarters that provides you with your Italian residence permit and authorizes you to live and work in Italy.
Italy’s Seasonal Work Visa (lavoro stagionale)
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 recruit non-European workers for its seasonal work visa and non-seasonal work visas. Italy does need seasonal workers for its agricultural and tourism departments 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.
Seasonal work visa process
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 issues the work 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.
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:
Four 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
Two 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. The work permit status can be checked at https://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/15002-Controlla_online_il_permesso_di_soggiorno/
What is 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 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 for 30 euros.
What is a multi-year seasonal work visa?
The multi-year seasonal visa is without the limitation of a 9-month normal visa duration. One of the main advantages of the multi-year permit is that of allows 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 to help 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.
To create 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.