Italy, which has some of the highest unemployment rates in the EU, is well recognized for its labor market protectionism, which aims to keep as many jobs for workers in the EU and Italy as possible.

For non-EU nationals, that can make getting a work visa one of the main obstacles to starting a life in Italy: but that doesn't mean they're impossible to obtain.

Here are some of the main Italian work permits available to non-EU citizens in 2024.

1. Quota-based work visa (decreto flussi)

A predetermined amount of work permits for non-EU nationals are issued annually under Italy's quota-based visa system, known as the decreto flussi. The government granted 151,000 visas in 2024.

These permits are allocated to certain industries, with most going to seasonal agricultural and hospitality work, the care sector, and heavy industry jobs. This year, just 500 visas were released for self-employment.

You need a prospective employer to apply on your behalf, and the quota tends to be massively oversubscribed, with available slots running out within minutes of the application window opening on what's known as 'click day'.

This all means it's very difficult to get a work visa through the decreto flussi system, and most Italian immigration lawyers will advise you to not to waste time going down this route.

Following reports that organised crime groups had infiltrated the system, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in June announced plans to reform the decreto flussi, though has so far offered little in the way of concrete details.

2. Digital nomad visa

Italy launched its long-anticipated digital nomad visa in April of this year, opening up an important new avenue for remote workers with dreams of sipping on spritzes and going for a dip in the Tyrrhenian Sea in between emails.

Applicants must have an annual income of at least €28,000, valid health insurance, a three-year college degree or equivalent professional experience, and accommodation in Italy, as well as meeting other conditions.

Italian immigration law experts interviewed by The Local have remarked that the official entry requirements for the visa appear to be surprisingly lenient.

However, it's worth noting that individual Italian consulates have the power to set their own, much stricter rules - and as it's still very new, the visa is largely untested at this point.

Like the other work visas mentioned below, the DNV is not subject to decreto flussi quotas.

3. EU Blue Card

Introduced in 2009, the EU Blue Card allows highly-skilled workers from outside the EU to relocate to Italy.

To be eligible, you'll need a binding job offer of at least six months' duration from an Italian employer, an undergraduate degree, a salary offer of at least €24,789 euros, and a professional qualification recognised by Italy.

4. Secondment visas

Article 27 of Italy's Immigration Act lists some of the excemptions under which non-EU nationals can apply for an Italian work permit outside of the decreto flussi quotas.

One major exception is an intra-company transfer (ICT) visa, through which your employer applies to transfer you to an Italy-based office or affiliate.

An obvious drawback of this type of permit is that you need to already be working for a company that has strong ties to Italy and is willing to put in an application to send you there, excluding most people off the bat.

You'll need to have been at the company for at least three to 12 months, depending on the type of ICT visa you're applying for.

A new type of ICT visa introduced in 2023 allows non-EU citizens working for an Italian-headquartered company or one of its subsidiaries to apply for a transfer to Italy.

There are other exemptions under Article 27 for university professors and researchers, translators and interpreters, foreign correspondents, and artists and entertainers.

5. Investor/start-up visas

Italy's investment visa allows non-EU citizens the right to relocate to Italy if they make a minimum investment of €250,000 in an Italian start up, €500,000 in an Italian limited company, €1 million in a philanthropic initiative, or €2 million in government bonds.

Unlike other Italian visas, the investor visa doesn't require the holder to make Italy their primary place of residence for the first two years.