Decreto Flussi 2027: Italy opens pre-filing window for 165,850 new work-visa quotas

From 09:00 CET on 23 October 2026 Italian employers can begin pre-compiling online applications for the country’s 2027 labour-immigration quotas, known as the “Decreto Flussi”. The Ministry of the Interior’s ALI portal will accept draft submissions until 20:00 on 7 December, ahead of the competitive "click-day" filing rounds scheduled for January and February 2027. Circular No. 7185/2026 sets the overall quota at 165 850 permits: 89 000 for seasonal agricultural and tourism workers, 76 200 for non-seasonal employees (including 14 000 home-care assistants) and 650 for self-employed professionals. New for 2027 is Kenya’s admission to the list of eligible countries, reflecting the migration and mobility agreement signed in July, and a 10 000-place carve-out for caregivers assisting disabled or elderly Italians – applications for which may only be filed by licensed employment agencies. During the six-week pre-compilation phase, employers and authorised intermediaries can upload worker details, contracts, housing declarations and translated passports to the ALI system but cannot yet transmit the final application. Immigration lawyers recommend completing drafts early because the site’s traffic typically spikes to more than one million users in the 48 hours before each click-day, leading to time-outs that can cost a coveted quota slot. Successful pre-files will receive a barcode and checksum that must match the definitive submission in January or February. Any alteration – even to a comma in an address – invalidates the barcode, forcing the employer to start again. Companies planning large seasonal intakes should therefore audit supporting documents now and schedule power-of-attorney signatures well before Christmas closures. For HR and global-mobility teams the main operational takeaway is that work-visa lead-times for 2027 hires effectively begin this week. Assuming a worker secures a quota, the embassy visa process still takes 6-8 weeks and the compulsory post-arrival residence-permit booking can add another month. Corporates with spring start dates in agriculture, hospitality or manufacturing are therefore urged to launch talent-sourcing and compliance checks immediately.