The content of the article:
Many foreigners choose Italy because of the warm climate, comfortable accommodation and the opportunity to stay here for a longer period. The main problem they face in the end is finding a job. It's good if they have their own “financial safety cushion” (digital nomads, individual entrepreneurs), but if they need to find a job and earn money? Let's try to answer these questions in this article.
The areas that the Italian government focuses on are the manufacturing and food industries, metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the service sector. And despite the fact that the unemployment rate in the country is quite high, vacancies in these areas often appear.
Get a job legally. This is especially important for foreigners, since official employment opens up access to the same social rights as citizens; provides an opportunity to obtain a residence permit; extend a residence permit; and in the future apply for permanent residence.
Make friends with native Italians. Historically, they solve many issues through friends and relatives, so if you are among their "amici" you have a better chance of finding a job.
Decide on your place of residence. It is warm and comfortable in the south, but there are more offers in the north of the country, and the salary is higher. The northern region is industrial, so specialists with knowledge of English are often required here. Agriculture is developed in the south, so seasonal workers will be in demand.
Italy has had a quota program for foreign workers for more than 20 years: quotas are distributed annually between 20 regions. Quotas can be different:
In 2023, the Italian government increased this quota by 19%, which reflected an increase in the number of open vacancies. Thus, more than 40 thousand places are offered for seasonal work and more than 30 thousand for the employment of migrants in certain professions (construction, tourism). Italy has its own specific “gender policy”, when women are not hired for certain types of work, especially those of childbearing age. But at the same time, oddly enough, it is much easier for women to get a job in Italy both seasonally and on a permanent basis. Girls are most often in demand in such areas as caring for children or the elderly, in the field of beauty, as an au pair, as an employee of a cleaning company. Some are offered a place of work with accommodation.
There are more vacancies for men in the field of industrial work, construction, and cargo transportation.
It is worth noting that no matter how famous and significant a specialist you would be in your homeland, it is not so easy to confirm all your diplomas in Italy (the exception is an official invitation). But even in this case, despite the many stereotypes about foreign employees, in the future you also have a chance to climb the career ladder, provided that you speak the state language perfectly.
To apply for a job, you will need a set of documents:
Well, now directly about the search itself, how and where to find a good offer. There are actually few ways:
The first two methods will cost you completely free of charge, but it is much longer and energy-consuming in time, since it is necessary to understand all the nuances: to study the company and its employer more closely so as not to run into scammers. You pay a certain amount to the exchange, but at the same time you can find a job much faster and directly for your needs.
Now in more detail:
Job advertisement sites — It.jobrapido.com , Careerjet.it , Indeed.com , Monster.it , Bakeca.it as well as a special website where you can search for jobs using an advanced search, including the region, city and even a convenient area of the city — Kijiji.it
Register on various chat rooms and forums where communities of like-minded people in your specialty gather. Usually these are communities of makeup artists, hairdressers, cosmetologists, where, in addition to vacancies, you can share your experience and read reviews from other participants.
Through applications — LinkedIn, Classdor, JobVille, TapJobs, Corner jobs. The only thing is that not all of these applications can be downloaded to your mobile, some can only be installed on Apple devices.
Each region has its own small agencies with which you can find a job. There are agencies that are engaged in job search for remuneration, but also publish open vacancies on their website. For example, Infojobs.it
Direct contacts are the websites of the companies themselves, where you would like to get a job. Almost all large organizations have an “open vacancies” section on their website, which indicates which specialists they currently need. Even if the vacancies are not marked, but you would like to work in this company, send an email with a resume and recommendations. Given your professionalism, you may be included in the “recommended” list.
Since Italy has a high unemployment rate, the competition for an attractive place is quite fierce. Yes, many foreigners are hired for heavy jobs where locals do not want to go. Foreigners are often required for seasonal harvesting, but this is mostly a temporary job, it will not be possible to stay in this place for a long time. Care workers are also in demand in Italy — nannies, nurses, cleaners, gardeners, housekeepers. In the field of tourism, hotels and restaurants often have vacancies for waiters, cook assistants, bartenders. An applicant who speaks at least two languages will be hired for this position faster. Good hairdressers, manicure and pedicure masters, cosmetologists, eyebrow specialists can always find work in local salons, because in Italy, as well as in many EU countries, the service sector suffers. Sometimes, when searching for employees, employers themselves indicate which level of specialists and from which country they need.
Where can I see immigrants of all nationalities? On an Italian construction site. Perhaps this is the most popular place for most visitors. Without knowledge of Italian, there is a prospect of getting a place in a hostel along with work, which is quite profitable at the initial stage of migration. Construction work is quite difficult and not always well paid (especially for illegal immigrants). Hacks are punished here quickly: fines and dismissal. For those who work conscientiously, there is an opportunity to go to another level — to become an engineer or a master (if you have a diploma).
Highly paid professions in Italy are:
If you are a representative of one of these professions, let's be honest, it is almost impossible to get a position in these places, since all of them are primarily offered to native Italians, and secondly to EU citizens. The chance to get this place is exclusively by invitation and a special quota.
The level of wages depends largely on the region. Lombardy, Liguria and Lazio are the most promising in this matter, but Tuscany and Sicily have the lowest wage rate, it is no coincidence that many foreigners who plan to settle in the country legally prefer the north.
Employment is one of the ways to get a residence permit in Italy. A residence permit for work (Lavoro subordinato) is issued to foreign citizens for 1 year. While maintaining a workplace and extending an employment contract, a foreign employee can extend his stay for another 3 years, and after 5 years of residence in the country, he can apply for permanent residence.
A special residence permit (Lavoro casi particulari previsti or Blue Card) is open to highly qualified categories of specialists: managers, doctors, scientists, musicians, etc. and only on the basis of an official invitation from an Italian company or a valid employment contract for a year. The application for this visa is considered longer, about three months.
A residence permit can also be obtained through the opening of an individual entrepreneur, here it will be important to indicate your income and take into account all tax payments. We have an article on Italian taxes on our website
The main requirements for foreign workers:
The procedure, in general, is not complicated: the main thing is to have the necessary documents and the desire to work and earn money.
As in most European countries, Italy has its own difficulties with the employment of foreigners. However, this does not affect the flow of immigrants into the country. To increase the chances of getting a job faster, we recommend:
On our website you can get acquainted with the secondary real estate market in Italy in the most popular regions.
