Italy’s thriving economy has long been a magnet for migrant workers seeking new career opportunities.
If you’re considering making the leap to work in Italy, securing a work visa first is mandatory.
In this article, we discuss some key considerations regarding the application process for an Italy work visa and provide a checklist of required documents.
Getting a Job in Italy & Applying for a Work Visa: Required Steps
If you are from a country outside the EU, you must find a job in Italy prior to applying for a work visa.
Next, you must apply for your visa at the relevant Embassy, Consulate, or Visa Application Center.
In most cases, the steps required for applying for an Italy work visa are as follows:
- Find an Italian employer and sign a work contract
- The employer applies for a work permit on your behalf at the immigration office
- Upon approval of the work permit, the employer sends it to you (usually electronically)
- You collect all the required documents and submit your visa application
- Once the authorities approve your work visa, you can collect your passport from the Embassy
- You can enter Italy using your passport which should have the National visa attached
Italy Work Visa: Supporting Documents & Application Process
The Italy work visa is also known as a National or type D visa.
This visa type gives non-EU nationals the right to work in Italy.
You must submit your application for an Italy work visa to the relevant Embassy, Consulate, or VFS Global Italy Visa Application Center.
This depends on whether the Italian Embassy has outsourced the visa application process to a third-party company.
VFS Global Italy Visa Application Centers are designated facilities where you can submit your application in cases where Italy has outsourced the visa application process to VFS Global.
VFS Global is the most popular international company specializing in providing consular services to diplomatic missions.
However, some Italian Embassies have outsourced the visa application process to other companies, such as BLS International.
For example, BLS International is the official partner of the Embassy of Italy in Kazakhstan.
The documents you must submit with your application may vary based on your citizenship and personal circumstances.
However, as a general rule, the supporting documents for an Italy work visa include:
- Copy of signed work contract
- The work permit for Italy obtained by the employer on your behalf
- Passport with a validity of at least three months beyond the intended visa duration, containing at least two blank pages
- Italy National visa application form fully completed and signed
- Two recently taken photographs of 35mm in width and 45 mm in height
- Proof of accommodation in Italy and sufficient financial means
- School diplomas, professional certificates, and other relevant certificates
- Proof of paid visa fee (116 EUR)
Final Considerations
It is important to note that the Italy work visa only grants you permission to enter the country.
However, to legally reside in Italy, you must acquire a residence permit upon arrival.
An Italian residence permit is an official document that is different from a work permit.
The Italian residence permit is called permesso di soggiorno (translated to “permission to stay”).
As a foreign employee, you must apply for your permesso di soggiorno within 8 days of entering Italy.
The application must be submitted at the local post office or Anagrafe office at the local town hall (Comune)
You can find more information on how to apply for an Italian residence permit here.