The Italian Government has formally adopted its new three-year Immigration Decree (Decreto Flussi) for 2026-2028, authorising 497,550 work permits for non-EU nationals. Published in the Official Gazette on 15 October and confirmed by the Interior and Labour Ministries on 28 October, the measure almost doubles the quota of the previous triennium and is designed to alleviate acute shortages in agriculture, hospitality, construction and manufacturing. Annual caps are 164,850 (2026), 165,850 (2027) and 166,850 (2028).
For 2026, applications will open in four “click-days”: 12 January (seasonal farm work), 9 February (seasonal tourism), 16 February (non-seasonal hires from cooperation-agreement countries) and 18 February (all other categories). Employers must pre-fill online forms via the ALI portal and obtain the nulla osta before the worker applies for a visa.
The decree reserves 76,200 permits per year for permanent hires, 88,000+ for seasonal labour, and 500 for self-employed investors and entrepreneurs. Priority lists cover 38 “partner” countries and special windows for Venezuelans of Italian descent and refugees/stateless persons.
For global mobility managers, the expanded quotas create unprecedented hiring headroom but also intense competition on the opening days. Companies should audit workforce plans, prepare complete dossiers (employment contracts, housing proof, salary compliance) and coordinate with Italian legal counsel to secure submission slots. Digital pre-filling makes timing critical: in 2025 many quotas were exhausted within hours.
Practically, assignees can expect shorter lead times once permits are issued, as consular visa appointments are now synchronised with the ALI portal and biometric capture. Employers should still budget eight-to-twelve weeks end-to-end and factor in regional labour-inspectorate clearances for high-risk sectors such as construction.
For 2026, applications will open in four “click-days”: 12 January (seasonal farm work), 9 February (seasonal tourism), 16 February (non-seasonal hires from cooperation-agreement countries) and 18 February (all other categories). Employers must pre-fill online forms via the ALI portal and obtain the nulla osta before the worker applies for a visa.
The decree reserves 76,200 permits per year for permanent hires, 88,000+ for seasonal labour, and 500 for self-employed investors and entrepreneurs. Priority lists cover 38 “partner” countries and special windows for Venezuelans of Italian descent and refugees/stateless persons.
For global mobility managers, the expanded quotas create unprecedented hiring headroom but also intense competition on the opening days. Companies should audit workforce plans, prepare complete dossiers (employment contracts, housing proof, salary compliance) and coordinate with Italian legal counsel to secure submission slots. Digital pre-filling makes timing critical: in 2025 many quotas were exhausted within hours.
Practically, assignees can expect shorter lead times once permits are issued, as consular visa appointments are now synchronised with the ALI portal and biometric capture. Employers should still budget eight-to-twelve weeks end-to-end and factor in regional labour-inspectorate clearances for high-risk sectors such as construction.
