Work Permit

How do you obtain a work permit and employment visa in Italy? If you are a citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, you will not need a visa to live and work in Italy. You are free to cross the border with only your valid national identity document or passport. Citizens of non-EU countries, however, have to apply for a work visa and permit if they wish to work and live in Italy. Work permit is issued for subordinate work contract (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro subordinato) or for self-employed work (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro autonomo). It lasts for two years and it is renewable when the conditions are still met. Holders of a permit of stay for research are entitled to apply for a work permit BEFORE the permit for research expires, only if they provide a work proposal.

As a non-EU citizen, to work and live in Italy, you will need: - A visa and work permit - A residence permit within eight days of entering Italy. There are various work permit visa types in Italy: - Salaried employment - Seasonal work (related to agriculture or tourism) - Long-term seasonal work (allows you to stay and work on seasonal activities for two years) - Sports activities - Artistic work - Working holiday - Scientific research Make note that you cannot work in Italy if you have a visa for medical care, tourism, religion, or judicial reasons.

Even though you will need a work permit, you won’t need to worry about filling in a work permit application form for Italy. The entire application process is carried out by your employer on the website of the Ministry of the Interior or at the corresponding prefect (Prefettura) of the province where you will be working. However, you will need to provide your employer with some information so they can process your work permit application. Your employer will need: - A copy of your passport or ID document - Proof of your accommodation in Italy - The residence contract* in Italian - Proof that you have sufficient means to return home - All information concerning your future employment status Besides a work contract, foreign workers sign a residence contract, contratto di soggiorno, with their Italian employer. In this contract, the employer guarantees that the worker has suitable accommodation available, and commits to paying for any travel expenses in case the worker is expelled from Italy.

• The programmes have been designed to attract and retain highly skilled workers willing to come to Italy or to keep staying in the country to start their own start-up or to join a pre-existing one.
• A fast-track procedure has been designed to issue the entry visa or, for those already in Italy, to convert the permit of stay.
• The permit of stay for start-up self-employment will be issued upon availability of inflow quota fixed each year by law (Decreto Flussi).