Italy is preparing the largest expansion of legal labour migration in its recent history. A draft "Decreto Flussi" seen by La Sicilia and confirmed by labour-ministry sources on 7 July sets overall quotas at 500,000 non-EU workers for the three-year cycle 2026-2028—164,850 next year, 165,850 in 2027 and 166,850 in 2028. The decree is expected to reach the Council of Ministers on 8 July and should enter into force before the autumn hiring season. The quotas cover a broad mix of categories that matter to corporate mobility managers: 76,850 slots per year for non-seasonal employees and self-employed professionals; roughly 88,000 annual places for seasonal agriculture and tourism; and dedicated sub-caps for live-in carers, domestic helpers, truck drivers and high-skilled tech workers. A novelty is the creation of "preferential quotas" for nationals of countries that run joint information campaigns with Italy to discourage irregular migration. Firms recruiting from such partner states will jump the queue once bilateral media campaigns are verified. Unlike past decrees, the 2026-2028 plan links inflows to real labour-market demand. The National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (INAPP) estimates Italy will face a shortfall of 800,000 workers by 2028 in logistics, hospitality, construction and elder care. Employers will therefore be able to pre-file applications as soon as the decree is gazetted, with the infamous "click-day" race replaced by rolling windows and digital signatures via SPID.
![Government Readies New ‘Decreto Flussi’: 500,000 Work Permits for 2026-2028]()
At this stage, many HR teams will be looking for reliable, on-the-ground support to convert these new quota opportunities into actual work permits. VisaHQ’s Italy desk, accessible at offers exactly that: end-to-end assistance with SPID registration, nulla osta submissions, consular appointments and residence-card follow-ups, allowing companies to outsource the red tape and focus on onboarding their new talent.
Multi-year nulla osta (work authorisations) will also be expanded: seasonal workers who have completed one legal season in the previous five years can secure permits valid for up to three consecutive seasons, reducing churn and onboarding costs. For mobility professionals, the key operational impact is volume. After a sluggish 7.8 % conversion rate under the 2024 quota, authorities promise faster processing: the Interior Ministry will deploy extra staff in 40 one-stop immigration desks and pilot an e-tracking portal that alerts HR teams when fingerprints and residence cards are ready. Payroll departments should note that domestic-worker caps rise to 14,200 by 2028, offering relief for expatriates bringing dependants. Politically, the Meloni government is positioning the decree as proof it can control migration while meeting employer needs. Critics in trade unions argue that without reform of the residence-permit backlog the headline numbers are meaningless. Still, if even half the quota is realised, Italy will authorise almost one million foreign hires over six years—reshaping the talent pool for multinationals with Italian operations.
At this stage, many HR teams will be looking for reliable, on-the-ground support to convert these new quota opportunities into actual work permits. VisaHQ’s Italy desk, accessible at offers exactly that: end-to-end assistance with SPID registration, nulla osta submissions, consular appointments and residence-card follow-ups, allowing companies to outsource the red tape and focus on onboarding their new talent.
Multi-year nulla osta (work authorisations) will also be expanded: seasonal workers who have completed one legal season in the previous five years can secure permits valid for up to three consecutive seasons, reducing churn and onboarding costs. For mobility professionals, the key operational impact is volume. After a sluggish 7.8 % conversion rate under the 2024 quota, authorities promise faster processing: the Interior Ministry will deploy extra staff in 40 one-stop immigration desks and pilot an e-tracking portal that alerts HR teams when fingerprints and residence cards are ready. Payroll departments should note that domestic-worker caps rise to 14,200 by 2028, offering relief for expatriates bringing dependants. Politically, the Meloni government is positioning the decree as proof it can control migration while meeting employer needs. Critics in trade unions argue that without reform of the residence-permit backlog the headline numbers are meaningless. Still, if even half the quota is realised, Italy will authorise almost one million foreign hires over six years—reshaping the talent pool for multinationals with Italian operations.
