Italy is known for being a difficult country to find work in.
It doesn’t have the high salaries of neighbouring Switzerland and is often ranked as one of the worst countries to work in by international expat network Internations.
Their 2024 report ranked Italy 49th out of 53 countries in the work category. With respect to career prospects alone, Italy came in 51st place.
Yet, a significant number of international residents do find work in the country, with the latest government figures showing that 2.4 million foreign nationals currently live and work in Italy
With that said, there are a few essential things to know that could make finding a job in the country much easier.
Language skills matter
While some multinational companies and specific posts within the technology, tourism or teaching industry may only require candidates to speak English, speaking Italian in the workplace is often crucial, particularly for jobs in local businesses.
This may differ from location to location, with the demand for English speakers in larger cities such as Milan being higher.
Yet, English is not spoken in Italy as much as in other European countries.
The latest English Proficiency Index by language school cooperation English First ranked Italy 26th out of the 34 European countries analysed.
READ ALSO: Why English teachers say working at Italy’s language schools is an uphill battle
Many readers tell us that, whatever field or industry you’re looking to work in, it will be important to take Italian lessons before or shortly after moving to Italy to improve employability prospects.
Useful job-hunting platforms and websites
There are countless job portals that can help you when looking for a job in Italy.
Going through recruitment agencies is another viable option, particularly when looking for specialised roles. International agencies like Adecco and Randstad exist in Italy and have physical branches across the territory.
Local newspapers commonly advertise jobs in Italy as well and are searchable by clicking on or flipping to the ‘lavoro’ section.
In terms of international jobs, the United Nations has a few branches in Italy such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Job postings can be found via their website.
Further, international companies such as Luxottica, Eni and Ferrari also have job listings on their websites.
READ ALSO: Nine of the best websites to search for jobs in Italy
One important piece of advice is to steer clear of advertisements for jobs via social media platforms such as Facebook. Unless there is a direct link for the official advertisement of the job along with contract type, salary and hours, it may be a scam.
Dealing with bureaucracy
Unless you are an EU national, you cannot work in the country without a work visa. The work visa you should apply for depends on the type of job you are looking for: seasonal work, contracted work or self-employed. The exact number of spaces is set out in Italy’s annual flows decree (or decreto flussi).
The first step in applying for a visa is to make an initial application during a so-called ‘click day’ – which is what the Italian interior ministry calls the day where applications for visas open.
Your local consulate may be able to advise on upcoming dates, but it is always advisable to double-check the Interior Ministry’s website for updates.
Unless you’re a freelancer, non-EU nationals must have a valid contract in order to be able to legally work in Italy. There are two main types of contract in Italy: a fixed-term contract (contratto a tempo determinato) and a permanent contract (contratto a tempo indeterminato).
If you’re a freelancer, you’ll need to get a VAT number (or partita IVA). The process can be laborious and long-winded and it is generally advisable to seek help from an immigration lawyer.
Besides work visas available under Italy’s quota system, there are some visa options that are not subject to limitations.
These include the EU Blue Card, the new digital nomad visa, secondment visas and investor visas.
Be aware of which jobs get paid the most and where
According to Italy’s economy ministry, the national gross average salary in Italy is €23,650 a year. This is significantly lower than in other European countries.
As a result, it is important to know which jobs get paid the most in the country and which regions have a higher income per person.
According to investment website Moneyfarm, the jobs with the highest wages are notary, doctor, pilot, pharmacy owner, web market manager, E-commerce manager, affiliate marketing manager, SEO specialist, accountant, and social media manager.
According to human capital website JobPricing, the regions where you are likely to get paid the most on average are Lombardy (€33,055), Lazio (€31,945) and Liguria (€31,688 ).
Networking is vital
In Italy, who you know can be very important when looking for a job. Word of mouth and reputation are key, especially if you are a freelancer.
Many Italians rely on family and friends to help them make professional connections. If you’re looking to attend networking events, you’ll find these in major cities.
READ ALSO: ‘It’s not always sunshine’: How foreigners in Italy struggle to find work
Sites such as Eventbrite.com and LinkedIn list upcoming formal events, whereas Meetup and Facebook tend to list more informal events.
Holidays and cultural awareness
There’s a misconception that Italians do not work hard. Italy’s standard contracted working week is 40 hours a week – that’s the same as the United Kingdom.
What tends to confuse people however is the longer lunch break. Desk lunches are generally not a thing in Italy and taking an hour for lunch is common.
People new to the country should also be aware of Italy’s long summer holidays – it is far from rare for both private and public businesses to completely shut for two or three weeks around the mid-August Ferragosto holiday.
The habit of making il ponte, literally ‘the bridge’, is also popular among workers in Italy. It consists of taking one or two days off on either side of a weekday public holiday to extend the holiday until the weekend, thus effectively ‘building’ a long weekend.
Lastly, dress code is hugely important in the Italian workplace. Dress smartly or according to the sector you work in, as you would in other countries. Turning up to work in the finance sector in jeans and a t-shirt is not considered good etiquette.
Are you going through or have you been through the process of applying to work in Italy? Let us know your experience in the comments below.
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