The Senate has given final approval to the conversion law of Decreto Flussi 146/2025, Italy’s framework that allocates work-visa quotas for 2026-2028. Farm-lobby Confagricoltura welcomed the text, noting that it doubles—from 7 to 15 days—the time employers have to confirm a job offer and the time migrant workers have to sign their “contratto di soggiorno” after arrival.
![Decreto Flussi conversion law extends deadlines for agricultural work-visa procedures]()
For companies or individuals unfamiliar with Italy’s migration paperwork, VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance with gathering documentation, booking fingerprinting appointments, and tracking application status, all through an easy online dashboard. You can explore the full range of Italian work and seasonal-visa services at https://www.visahq.com/italy/
The change is small but has major practical effects: last season thousands of seasonal-agriculture permits lapsed because fingerprints, medical checks and residence-contract signatures could not be completed within the old eight-day window. With the new 15-day limit, growers in Puglia, Sicily and Veneto say they can secure the pickers they need for the tomato and grape harvests. Other tweaks include simplified rules for workers who have completed Italian-funded training programmes abroad and the possibility for regional authorities to re-allocate unused quotas mid-season. The overall three-year quota remains at 497 550 entries, with 164 850 set for 2026. For multinational food companies sourcing “Made in Italy” raw materials, the smoother visa-chain reduces the risk of crop shortages that could send commodity prices soaring. Employers should however remember that the notorious “Click Day” online application race is still in place; Confagricoltura is lobbying to replace it with a rolling reservations system linked to real production schedules. Immigration advisers recommend that HR departments begin collecting worker documentation now, as the Ministry of the Interior will publish the 2026 application timetable in October.
For companies or individuals unfamiliar with Italy’s migration paperwork, VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance with gathering documentation, booking fingerprinting appointments, and tracking application status, all through an easy online dashboard. You can explore the full range of Italian work and seasonal-visa services at https://www.visahq.com/italy/
The change is small but has major practical effects: last season thousands of seasonal-agriculture permits lapsed because fingerprints, medical checks and residence-contract signatures could not be completed within the old eight-day window. With the new 15-day limit, growers in Puglia, Sicily and Veneto say they can secure the pickers they need for the tomato and grape harvests. Other tweaks include simplified rules for workers who have completed Italian-funded training programmes abroad and the possibility for regional authorities to re-allocate unused quotas mid-season. The overall three-year quota remains at 497 550 entries, with 164 850 set for 2026. For multinational food companies sourcing “Made in Italy” raw materials, the smoother visa-chain reduces the risk of crop shortages that could send commodity prices soaring. Employers should however remember that the notorious “Click Day” online application race is still in place; Confagricoltura is lobbying to replace it with a rolling reservations system linked to real production schedules. Immigration advisers recommend that HR departments begin collecting worker documentation now, as the Ministry of the Interior will publish the 2026 application timetable in October.
