As of March 18, Italian businesses are able to start their applications to hire non-EU workers within the 151,000 quotas set by the government in September 2023.
According to a press release by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, businesses will be able to access the Services Portal in order to prepare their application forms in three different stages, all happening between the end of February and the end of March, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
More specifically, the pre-compilation system will be available as follows:
- First stage: February 29 to March 16 from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm;
- Second stage: March 17 from 8.00 to 18.00;
- Third stage: March 19 from 8.00 to 20.00;
Employers to File Applications for Workers Abroad in March
As the Prime Ministerial Decree of January 19, 2024, regulates, Italian businesses will have to submit their applications at specific times and days, depending on the type of request.
After having completed the pre-compilation step, applications for non-seasonal subordinate workers who come from countries that have cooperation agreements with Italy can be sent on March 18, starting at 9.00 am.
Three days later, on March 21, applications of non-seasonal subordinate workers, including those in the healthcare sector, will have to be sent, starting from 9.00 am. On March 25, businesses have to place their applications for seasonal workers.
The deadlines for submitting requests for authorisation to work for entries within the quotas, referred to in Art. 8, paragraph two of the decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of September 27, 2023, starts from 9.00 am on March 18, 21, and 25, instead of February 5, 7 and 12.
Applications for Workers from India to Open in April
The press release by the Labour Ministry pointed out that applications under the Partnership Agreement on mobility and migration with India can be filed between April 1 and December 31.
A total of 6,000 entries for Indian citizens are expected to be reserved for the year, including both non and seasonal workers. While the 2023 work quotas for Italy were set at 136,000, in 2024, 151,000 non-EU workers can enter Italy for employment purposes. This cap is even higher for 2025, as 165,000 non-EU citizens can come to work in Italy.
The agreement is expected to benefit thousands of workers from India as well as businesses in Italy that are dealing with a labour shortage in several industries.
Data from the Ministry of External Affairs show that the number of non-resident Indians in Italy is 157,000, while 45,000 people of Indian origin currently live there. It is estimated that the Indian population in Italy has increased by ten times compared to two decades ago.
