Italy’s government has announced the first details of the next annual decree governing how many and which types of workers will be allowed to move to Italy next year for employment reasons.
The number of work permits available to non-EU nationals will increase under the 2023 decreto flussi, which is expected to be finalised by the end of December, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister Alfredo Mantovano confirmed on Friday.
The number of work permits available overall will rise to 82,705 next year - up from 69,700 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2021.
However, the allocation of permits is expected to be subject to more limited criteria.
Mantovano confirmed that the Italian government will offer a larger quota of work permits to “those who have completed training programs in their countries of origin”, as well as to workers from countries that agree to sign repatriation agreements with Italy for irregular migrants, according to newspaper Corriere della Sera.
READ ALSO: Visas and residency permits: How to move to Italy (and stay here)
The countries involved were not named in the announcement, and no further details were immediately given about the number of permits allocated for workers in each employment sector.
“We would like to have workers arriving in our country already trained” and with a job already lined up, Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, said earlier in December.
The hiring process is expected to become more complex and time-consuming, however, as from 2023 employers will be required to check whether there are already any workers “already present in the country” who could take the jobs available before offering them to workers coming from outside the EU.
The stipulation comes into force as the Italian government cuts unemployment benefits for those in Italy who are deemed fit to work.
The new decree is also expected to extend some types of work permit to two or three years - rather than permits having to be renewed after one year, as is currently the case.
It’s hoped that this change could ease the workload at Italian government offices which have reportedly faced problems in processing work permit applications due to a chronic shortage
READ ALSO: How many people does Italy grant work permits to every year?
The decreto flussi, which is usually translated as ‘flows decree’, is the piece of legislation which governs the number of work permits available to those coming to Italy from outside of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA).
The Italian Labour Ministry publishes an updated decreto flussi at the end of every year, and the final draft for 2023 has not yet been published.
The decree is not expected to mention the planned 'digital nomad' visa, which was approved last year but now appears to have been sidelined.
Applications for work permits usually open at the end of January. Further details about the application process for 2023 will be available when the new decreto flussi is published.
Getting one of these permits is just the start. As a non-EEA citizen, there are three main documents you’ll need to live and work in Italy: a work permit (nulla osta), a work visa (visto) and a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
Find out more information about the types of Italian work visa available here.
Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual cases or assist with job applications.
For more information about visa and residency permit applications, see the Italian Foreign Ministry’s visa website, or contact your embassy or local Questura (police headquarters) in Italy.
Comments (1)