Employers looking to hire non-EU nationals in 2027 can start pre-filling applications from 09:00 on 23 October until 20:00 on 7 December 2026, according to an inter-ministerial circular published on 9 October. The notice operationalises the second year of Italy’s 2026-2028 migration programme, which allocates 167,000 quota places for seasonal, non-seasonal and self-employed workers. New for the 2027 cycle is the inclusion of Kenya among the eligible countries following a mobility pact signed in July, and a streamlined “SPID-only” login for the online AliSportello portal. Employers may now upload draft contracts and proof of accommodation in advance, cutting submission-day bottlenecks. Immigration lawyers expect quota categories for care-work and road-haulage to fill within minutes when the official click-day opens on 12 January 2027. Companies that miss the pre-filling deadline will still be able to create applications during the formal opening but risk technical glitches and depleted quotas. To accelerate on-boarding, HR teams should gather criminal-record certificates, translated academic credentials and local labour-office clearances well ahead of time. The circular confirms that digital nomad and highly-qualified EU Blue Card applicants remain outside the quota system but must still obtain nulla osta labour clearances before visa issuance. Processing times at provincial immigration desks average 40 days, down from 55 last year thanks to additional staff funded under the PNRR recovery plan.
Source: Il Sole 24 Ore (NT+ Lavoro)
