Italy is facing labour shortages in several sectors, and the country is relying on foreign workers to fill job vacancies across the country.
The European Labour Authority (EURES) anticipates that the most in-demand occupations are related to healthcare and social services, science and technology, engineering and construction, and hospitality.
It is estimated that between 2023 and 2027, 34.3 per cent of the employment requirement will be for personnel with tertiary education (university or vocational training), and 48.1 per cent of profiles will require a secondary technical-professional education.
This shortage of workers could benefit foreigners who belong to any of these occupations and wish to live and work in Italy. The most difficult positions to fill between 2023 and 2027 are forecasted to be the following occupations:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Physiotherapists
- Healthcare and social services professionals
- Mathematics and computer science specialists
- ICT technicians
- Engineers
- Engineering technicians
- Skilled construction workers
- Restaurant staff
On the other hand, occupations such as mail sorting and delivery clerks, as well as bank officers, are anticipated to have below-average demand and low recruitment difficulty, indicating a potential decline in demand for these professions, according to Excelsior’s 2023-2027 forecasts.
Recently, the Ministry of Interior of Italy revealed that Italian employers have already filed around 608,000 pre-applications for non-EU workers ahead of the opening of the annual work visa lottery. On the other hand, the quota for workers from non-EU countries was set at 136,000 for next year.
Of those, 260,950 pertained to seasonal positions in tourism and agriculture. Meanwhile, 253,470 pre-applications were for non-seasonal roles in construction and related sectors, and approximately 86,070 were for positions such as domestic workers and health caretakers.
Earlier this year, the Italian government introduced changes to the legislation governing foreign workers in Italy and the acquisition of residence permits. This measure was taken in an effort to facilitate the employment and relocation process for foreign workers in the country.
In order to work in Italy, non-EU citizens need a work visa. First, they have to find a job in Italy; then, the Italian employer should apply for a work permit. After the work permit is obtained, the individual can apply for a work visa in the Italian representative offices in their countries.
