Employment of a worker who completed an approved vocational and civic-language training programme abroad
Italy
Italy sits in Southern Europe. Its immigration system runs 157 distinct routes — led by family, work and free movement, each set out in official law. All 157 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 157across 19 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 157 of 157cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Family22 of the 157 routes — see them under Family below
- Region
- Southern Europe
- Capital
- Rome
- Population
- 58,915,656
- Official language
- Italian, Catalan
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- UTC+01:00
Immigration routes
All 157 routes, grouped by purpose — 157 of 157 cite an official government source directly.
Work
20 routes
Employment by a circus or travelling entertainment undertaking
Temporary work in Italy to perform services under a qualifying contract
Continuation in Italy of a full-time domestic-employment relationship held abroad for at least one year
Temporary employment in Italy by an employee of an Italian company or its foreign operation
Executive or highly specialised staff assigned within a qualifying company structure
Accredited journalistic employment or correspondence in Italy
Quota-exempt employment as an interpreter
Work on an Italian-flagged vessel or qualifying maritime service
Employment as a professionally recognised nurse in a public or private healthcare facility
Paid performance or entertainment employment in Italy
Quota-exempt employment as a translator
Non-seasonal employment in family assistance or social-healthcare within the specific quota
Non-seasonal employed work under the 2026 quota reserved for nationals of countries with migration-cooperation agreements
Other non-seasonal employed work under the general 2026 quota
Seasonal employment in agriculture under the 2026 quota
Seasonal employment in tourism under the 2026 quota
Transfer to an Italian group entity as a manager
Transfer to an Italian group entity as a specialist
Transfer to an Italian group entity as a trainee employee
Investment
4 routes
Two-year investor residence for a qualifying investment or donation in the specified Italian asset
Two-year investor residence for a qualifying investment or donation in the specified Italian asset
Two-year investor residence for a qualifying investment or donation in the specified Italian asset
Two-year investor residence for a qualifying investment or donation in the specified Italian asset
Business & self-employment
9 routes
Convert an eligible residence permit to startup self-employment with support from a certified incubator
Convert an eligible existing residence permit to self-employment for an innovative startup without leaving Italy
Establish an innovative startup backed by a certified Italian incubator
Establish an innovative startup in Italy through the direct Italia Startup Visa procedure
Long-stay self-employment as an entrepreneur within the applicable Decreto Flussi quota
Independent artistic activity by an internationally renowned or highly qualified artist engaged by a public or private body
Residence to serve in a qualifying senior corporate office of an established Italian capital company
Practice of a non-regulated profession represented by an association recorded by a public administration
Practice of a regulated or supervised liberal profession under the self-employment quota
Talent & merit
8 routes
Professional activity in Italy for up to 90 days in 180 by a valid EU Blue Card holder from another Member State
Highly qualified employment in Italy outside the Decreto Flussi quotas
Move to Italy for highly qualified work after qualifying residence on an EU Blue Card in another Member State
Longer research mobility in Italy under the EU researchers framework
Short research mobility in Italy by a third-country researcher holding qualifying research status in another Member State
Research over 90 days under a hosting agreement with an authorised Italian research body
Quota-exempt university teaching as an exchange lecturer or native-language reader
Quota-exempt employment in an academic post at an Italian university
Study
13 routes
Admission to a recognised AFAM higher-education programme
Admission to a recognised Italian bachelor or single-cycle university programme
Admission to an Italian doctoral programme
Admission to a qualifying foundation or preparatory course
Admission to a qualifying full-time language or cultural course
Admission to a recognised Italian master's degree programme
Admission to an eligible single university course
Admission to a recognised exchange or mobility programme
Admission to a qualifying university master or postgraduate programme
Admission to a qualifying school programme
Admission to a short course within the Schengen stay ceiling
Approved curricular or educational traineeship placement
Admission to an approved vocational-training programme
Family
22 routes
Family member accompanying an eligible principal on entry, subject to the same family conditions
Family member accompanying an eligible principal on entry, subject to the same family conditions
Family member accompanying an eligible principal on entry, subject to the same family conditions
Family member accompanying an eligible principal on entry, subject to the same family conditions
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Conversion or issue of an appropriate study or work status when a family-permit holder reaches adulthood
Long-stay family reunification with a qualifying non-EU resident sponsor
Long-stay family reunification with a qualifying non-EU resident sponsor
Long-stay family reunification with a qualifying non-EU resident sponsor
Long-stay family reunification with a qualifying non-EU resident sponsor
Long-stay family reunification with a qualifying non-EU resident sponsor
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of the specified principal status
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
National family residence for a qualifying non-EU relative of an Italian citizen residing in Italy without a cross-border EU-mobility basis
National family residence for a qualifying non-EU relative of an Italian citizen residing in Italy without a cross-border EU-mobility basis
National family residence for a qualifying non-EU relative of an Italian citizen residing in Italy without a cross-border EU-mobility basis
National family residence for a qualifying non-EU relative of an Italian citizen residing in Italy without a cross-border EU-mobility basis
Independent means
1 route
Stable residence in Italy based on substantial independent and recurring resources without work
Digital nomad
2 routes
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Residence-based status
9 routes
Change from family status to the permit corresponding to study or work activity
Conversion from qualifying seasonal work status to non-seasonal employment
In-country conversion from valid study or training status to employed work
In-country conversion from valid study or training status to qualifying self-employment
Permanent EU long-term resident status after at least five years of lawful continuous residence in Italy
EU long-term resident status for a beneficiary of international protection after the qualifying period
Post-research residence to seek work or establish a business coherent with completed research
Post-completion residence to seek employment or establish a business coherent with an Italian higher-education qualification
Temporary residence to seek new employment after loss of a non-seasonal job
Free movement
15 routes
Residence in Italy for an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen engaged in employed work
Residence based on jobseeking or retention of worker status under EU free-movement law
Residence in Italy for an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen carrying on self-employment
Residence in Italy for an economically inactive EU/EEA/Swiss citizen with sufficient resources and health coverage
Residence in Italy for an EU/EEA/Swiss student with sufficient resources and health coverage
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Permanent residence card for a qualifying non-EU family member after the required continuous residence
Permanent residence acquired after five years of lawful continuous residence under EU free-movement rules
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Entry and residence as a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining a mobile EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Residence document for a qualifying family member protected by the EU–UK Withdrawal Agreement
Residence document for a United Kingdom national protected by the EU–UK Withdrawal Agreement
Youth mobility
8 routes
Working holiday in Italy for an eligible Australian citizen under the bilateral agreement
Curricular internship in Italy for a Canadian post-secondary student
Travel and temporary work in Italy under the bilateral working-holiday category
Career-development employment in Italy under the bilateral young-professionals category
Signed working-holiday mechanism that the official source states was not yet in force
Signed bilateral working-holiday mechanism retained as information only until current operational entry into force is confirmed
Working holiday in Italy for an eligible New Zealand citizen under the bilateral agreement
Working holiday in Italy for an eligible South Korean citizen under the active bilateral agreement
Cultural, religious & volunteer
6 routes
Structured European voluntary-service placement
Long official, governmental or institutional mission
Long-stay religious duties with a recognised religious body
Structured volunteering within the national contingent
Short religious visit or religious activity
Short official or institutional mission
Short stay & visit
9 routes
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Short business activities in Italy
Attend a conference, meeting or professional event without taking local employment
Visit based on an invitation from a host in Italy
Qualifying short self-employed professional activity
Attend or participate in a qualifying short cultural event
Qualifying short subordinate work activity
Tourism in Italy and the Schengen area
Short entry for qualifying transport activity
Humanitarian protection
15 routes
Stay during examination of an application for international protection
Protective medical residence during pregnancy and the post-birth period provided by law
Status and residence following recognition of statelessness
Residence following recognition of refugee status
Special status awarded for officially recognised acts of particular civil value
Temporary protection where return is unsafe because of an exceptional calamity
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Protective residence status for an unaccompanied foreign minor
Protection for a foreign victim of domestic violence facing concrete current danger
Protection for a victim of unlawful labour intermediation or exploitation
Protection and social-integration status for a victim of trafficking, violence or serious exploitation
Protection where removal is prohibited although refugee or subsidiary status is not recognised
Residence following recognition of subsidiary protection
Temporary protection for persons displaced from Ukraine within the applicable personal scope
Ancestry & return
3 routes
For a foreign national already in Italy on a status that allows an in-country application, whose Italian citizenship procedure is pending; it cannot be obtained from abroad.
For a person with a first- or second-degree ancestor (parent or grandparent) who holds, or held at death, exclusively Italian citizenship.
For a descendant of an Italian citizen who is resident abroad and a citizen of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Uruguay or Venezuela, entering for subordinate employment.
Medical treatment
3 routes
Stay by an authorised companion supporting a medical-treatment patient
Stay over 90 days for planned medical treatment in Italy
Short stay to receive planned medical treatment in Italy
Sports
5 routes
Salaried or otherwise authorised sporting activity by a qualifying amateur athlete within the contingent
Salaried sporting activity in Italy within the applicable sports contingent
Short stay to participate in an authorised sports competition
Independent professional sports activity in Italy under the specific self-employment sports route
Employment or professional activity as specifically engaged sports technical staff
Transit
2 routes
Remain in the international transit area of an Italian airport while connecting onward
Transit through Italian or Schengen territory en route to a third country within the authorised short stay
Other & special
3 routes
Long official assignment under diplomatic, governmental or international-organisation arrangements
Interim lawful status evidenced by the official application receipt while the permit decision is pending
Return under the statutory no-re-entry-visa conditions while the first residence permit is pending
Official sources
- Vistoperitalia Visa PortalGovernment
- Investor Visa for ItalyGovernment
- Polizia di Stato Questure StranieriGovernment
- [NSO] National Institut of StatisticsGovernment
See which Italy routes you actually qualify for.
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