An Italian work visa is a type of Italian long-term visa, also known as a national or D-visa. An Italian work visa is simply an entry visa that gives you permission to enter Italy, but you still need to obtain an additional residence permit (residence permit or permesso di soggiorno).

You must apply for a permesso di soggiorno within eight days after you have already entered Italy.

Before you apply for an Italian work visa, you should make sure that you are eligible to do so. That's because the Italian government only accepts work permit applications for a few months every one or two years, depending on the Italian labor market and immigration status.

In addition, there is also a set quota that determines how many work permits Italy will issue.

This is called the Decreto Flussi (flow of foreign workers). In 2019, the Decreto Flussi opened in April and the Italian government set a quota of 30,850 work permits - the same as in 2018. Through Decreto Flussi, the Italian government issues work permits to seasonal and non-seasonal workers.

This means that you can apply for a work visa to Italy if:

• Decreto Flussi is open.
  
• The annual quota is not filled.
• You have an employer in Italy who will apply for a work permit (Nulla Osta)*.
• You are granted a work permit.

NOTE

The work permit in Italy is called Nulla Osta al lavoro. Your employer must apply for the Nulla Osta document at the immigration office of your province (Preffetura) (Sportello Unico d'Immigrazione - SUI).

How can you get an Italian work visa?

So, you are a foreigner who wants to move to Italy and find a job. Unfortunately, if you are not an EU citizen, you need to already have a job in Italy (and fulfill several conditions) before you can apply for an Italian work visa.

For citizens of Ukraine, obtaining a residence and work permit in Italy consists of three parts:

• Find an Italian employer who will hire you and apply for a work permit (they must apply for a work permit in Italy). Only after the employer receives the work permit and sends it to you, you can:
  
• Apply for a work visa to Italy at an Italian representative office in your country. If you get a work visa to Italy, only then can you:
• Enter Italy and apply for a residence permit to be authorized to stay and work in the country legally.
• In addition, you have only a short period of time during which you can apply for an Italian work visa. The Italian government also sets annual quotas on how many non-EU citizens they will issue work visas to.

Requirements for obtaining an Italian work visa

When applying for a work visa to Italy, you must have a set of supporting documents that are required for an Italian visa. 

Additional requirements for an Italian work visa include:

• A copy of your signed employment contract.
  
• Original and copy of your Nulla Osta.
• A completed application form for a long-term visa to Italy.
• A passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months after the expiration of your visa.
• Passport photos.
• Proof of residence in Italy.
• Proof of sufficient financial resources.
• Certificate of paid visa fee.
• Diplomas/other certificates.

PLEASE NOTE that this is not an exhaustive list of requirements. The requirements for an Italian work visa vary from country to country and case to case, so you should always contact the relevant authority where you are applying for a work visa for more information.

The Italian authorities reserve the right to request any documents they deem necessary.

In addition, you must send your employer in Italy all the documents they need to apply for a work permit. Since your employer applies for a work permit at the immigration office of their province (and each immigration office has different requirements), you should contact your employer about what documents they need from you.

Where and when can I apply for an Italian work visa?

1. If the Italian immigration office grants you a work permit, your employer must send you the permit (usually in electronic form). The Italian government also notifies the Italian representative office in your country (e.g. the Italian embassy or consulate), where you will apply for a work visa.
   
2. If there is no Italian representation in your country, you must apply at a Visa Center or at the representation of another Schengen country to which Italy has transferred visa applications.
3. You have to apply in person after you have collected all the necessary documents and downloaded and filled in the Italian visa application form.
4. After you apply for an Italian work visa, the Italian authorities will review your application and decide whether you meet the requirements for obtaining a visa. If you are granted an Italian work visa, you have six months to enter Italy with it.

After applying for an Italian work visa

1. After you have entered Italy with a work visa, you have eight days to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (residence permit) card. You must apply for your residence permit at the local post office in your city. You must present your work permit and work visa when you apply, as well as additional supporting documents.
   
2. Then it is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ufficio Stranieri) of your local Italian police department that grants you an Italian residence permit, which allows you to live and work in Italy.

How long is an Italian work visa valid for?

An Italian work visa is usually valid for the duration of the employment contract, but not more than two years. It can be renewed for up to five years.

In 2020, just over 4.4 million businesses were registered in Italy, operating across the country. The vast majority (4.2 million) of them are small businesses with less than 10 employees. Only about 10% of companies are foreign.

The most popular business sectors in the country are:

• Retail trade
• Science and technology
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Tourism

In terms of business culture, Italians work on the basis of trust. Therefore, in business, they prefer to cooperate with those they know rather than establish new connections. Although most Italian companies have a hierarchical structure, processes are relatively informal; for example, meetings tend to be open and unstructured. People prefer to meet face-to-face, so it is worth brushing up on your Italian language skills, as English is less common than in many other European countries and this can be a challenge.

How to start a business in Italy?

Citizens of Ukraine who plans to start a business and settle in Italy but does not have a residence permit must first apply for a Nulla-osta. This declaration indicates that there are no obstacles to starting a business. The Null-osta is issued by the competent authority, which can be either a municipality or a Chamber of Commerce, depending on the circumstances.

NOTE

In Italy, certain regulated professions require a license or authorization to work in the field. This applies to most medical professionals, teachers, lawyers, guides, security guards, hairdressers, etc.

You can find a list of activities that are subject to licensing and find contact information for the relevant regulatory authorities.

Registering a business in Italy

All companies must register with the National Business Registry (Registo Imprese) before starting to operate.

To do this, you will need:

• Company name
  
• Statute (Statuto) and Memorandum of Association (Atto Costitutivo) if you are a joint stock company
• A separate bank account for your business (required if you are a registered company)
• The Chamber of Commerce (Camere di Commercio) manages the Italian business register. If you are a registered company (other than an SRLS), the notary who supervises the signing of your articles of association will also take care of the registration. Freelancers do not need to register with the Registry.

In addition, Italian companies must also register with the following authorities:

1. The Tax Agency (Agenzia Entrate) - to register for taxes and obtain a company tax number (if you are creating a corporation), as well as a VAT number

2. National Institute for Social Security (Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale - INPS) - so that you can make social security payments and access benefits, including state pensions

3. The National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (Istituto Nazionale per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro - INAIL) - for insurance coverage against work-related accidents and illnesses.

You can now register for all these services online using the Unified Business Communication system (ComUnica). This process usually takes about five to seven days. You will need to pay an annual fee of about €200 for businesses with a turnover of up to €100,000, as well as a small initial administrative fee.

If you want to start a sole proprietorship, become a partner in a new general partnership, a manager of a new limited liability company, a legal representative of a foreign company or a manager of an existing company, and you are already an Italian resident or plan to reside in Italy, the conditions of reciprocity must be checked in advance and you must obtain a valid residence permit (Permesso di soggiorno per lavoro autonomo).

Business in Italy: the principle of reciprocity

The principle of reciprocity means that in the country of origin of a foreign citizen, an Italian citizen is granted the same rights as the foreign citizen he or she is applying for. The conditions of reciprocity can be checked by anyone at the Italian embassy in the country of origin. These conditions are checked by the civil servant/governmental body that receives the request. For example, a notary when establishing a company or the Chamber of Commerce when appointing a manager.

In Europe, there is also the Permesso unico di lavoro (according to Legislative Decree 40/2014), which allows you to work in Europe in the country that issued it. It is valid for one or two years and allows a person to work (as in the case of a family residence permit), but it is not valid for work in other EU countries, as it is not a long-term residence permit in the EU. Non-EU nationals who hold a long-term residence permit can carry out any economic activity in Italy (Legislative Decree 3/2007).

Obtaining a residence permit is one of the most important aspects that a potential foreign investor should consider.

The Italian National Police is the competent authority to issue or renew any type of residence permit.