Expats who are not citizens of an EU-member state but wishing to live and work in Italy are required to apply for a work permit.
Every province in Italy has an office dedicated to all matters connected to immigration (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione). These offices are responsible for the entire process of hiring foreign workers in Italy. Before an application for a work permit can be made, the expat’s Italian employer must first apply for clearance (nulla osta al lavoro) at their nearest immigration centre.
Only after an employer has received clearance to hire a foreign worker, can the expats apply for an Italian work permit at the local Italian diplomatic mission. Once this application is processed, the applicant will be issued with an entry visa which either entitles them to travel to Italy to submit their work residence permit application or apply for it within their home country.
Depending on an applicant’s nationality they may be able to apply for this permit after having arrived in Italy. In any case, all expats intending to work and live in Italy must report to their local immigration office within eight days of arriving in Italy. This registration can also be done at a post office in some provinces.
The residence permit is issued at the new arrival’s local police station. This requires filling out an application form specifying the type of permit required and proof of identification, fingerprints and photos.
There are different types of work permit, but generally most are granted for at least a year. Applicants are also required to enter into an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Interior (Ministero Dell’Interno) whereby they agree to fulfil certain integration objectives such as attending Italian language classes.