Issuing of work authorisation - DECREE FLOWS

The legal entry of a foreign worker into the territory of the Italian State to carry out subordinate work is conditional on the approval of a three-year government decree, the so-called Decreto Flussi, which fixes the entry quotas for work, and on the simultaneous request for work authorisation from a legally resident Italian or foreign employer.

The nulla-osta for subordinate employment is the administrative act by which the Single Desk for Immigration (Employment Service) authorises the employer, who requests it, to hire a foreign worker residing abroad. This authorisation is necessary in order to apply for an entry visa for work purposes at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the worker's country of origin.

The authorisation for subordinate work, including seasonal work, transmitted electronically to the employer who requested it from the Single Desk for Immigration (in PAT Servizio Lavoro), must be used to issue the visa within 6 months from the date of issue.

The Flussi Decree provides for separate entry quotas for

• seasonal workers/workers in the agriculture and tourism/hotel sectors;
• non-seasonal employed workers/workers in the production sectors indicated in the Flows Decree;
• self-employed workers /workers (for whom the Questura is competent).

The Autonomous Province of Trento, having heard the opinion of the employers' associations, cooperation and trade unions within the framework of the Employment Policies Committee of the Provincial Employment Commission, expressed to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies the need for non-EU workers for the years 2026-2028.

To know the non-EU labour needs of PAT, enter the dedicated tab.

The flows decree 2026-2028 can be consulted at the following link of the Ministry.

On the above-mentioned page, it is also possible to download the Joint Circular Letter specifying the procedure for submitting applications for seasonal and non-seasonal work permits and the dates of the scheduled click days.

Employers who apply to the Single Desk for Immigration (in PAT Servizio Lavoro) for a nulla osta to hire a non-EU worker residing abroad. It is necessary that the request for employment made by the employer

- falls within the quotas established by the flows Decree;

- that there are no reasons that prevent the non-EU worker or worker from entering Italy, on the part of the Questura.

The request for work authorisation must be submitted by the employer or the employer to the Single Desk for Immigration (in PAT Servizio Lavoro) of the province of residence or of the province where the company has its registered office or where the work will be carried out, through the Services Portal of the Ministry of the Interior, by filling in the appropriate telematic forms, which contain the following fields, which must be filled in accurately and completely

• the full particulars of the owner/owner or legal representative of the enterprise, its name and registered office, or, in the case of home-based work, the full particulars of the commissioning employer/employees
• the full particulars of the foreign worker to be employed;
• the commitment to ensure the foreign person the remuneration and insurance treatment provided for by the laws in force and by the national collective labour agreements for the category or in any case applicable;
• the seat of the undertaking or establishment or of the place where the work will be mainly carried out;
• declaration concerning the accommodation of the foreign worker;
• the proposal for a residence contract specifying the relevant contractual terms and conditions, including the employer's commitment to pay the expenses for the return of the foreign worker to his/her country of origin;
• a declaration of commitment to communicate any variation concerning the employment relationship.

The telematic procedure for accessing the online services of the Ministry of the Interior requires the possession of a SPID identity as provided for in the Circular of the Ministry of the Interior no. 3738 of 04 December 2018.

The nihil obstat request can be submitted directly by the employer (for which there is a maximum limit of 3 requests), or by the Employer Organisations of the category, by professionals qualified and authorised pursuant to art. 1 L.n. 12/1979 (employment consultants, lawyers and attorneys-at-law, chartered accountants, accountants and business experts) and by Employment Agencies (with no limit on the number of requests).

It should be noted that the revenue stamp used for the nulla osta application must be entered on the Portal of the Ministry of the Interior when the nulla osta application is submitted, cancelled and retained. In fact, it is the responsibility of the person submitting the application to keep the revenue stamp for possible future checks by the Revenue Agency.

For information on the procedure regarding the digital revenue stamp, please consult the Agenzia delle Entrate website at the following link:

Sheets - Stamp duty for applications transmitted to the PA - Service @e.bollo - What is it - Revenue Agency

Decree Law No. 146 of 3 October 2025, containing urgent provisions on the regular entry of foreign workers and citizens, as well as on the management of the migration phenomenon, introduces new features that can be consulted on the following page.

The following must be attached to the application for authorisation in the Services Portal

• Self-certification of Chamber of Commerce registration
• Self-certification of social security and tax position
• Document of Asseveration prepared by the labour consultant, accountant or lawyer. Attention! This document must be prepared and attached to the application only by companies that do not use the trade associations that signed the Protocol for the simplification of administrative procedures with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies.
• Self-declaration pursuant to art.22 paragraph 2 ter - first and third sentence (downloadable among the documents)
• Proposal of residence contract for subordinate work
• Worker's passport
• Identity document of the employer or legal representative
• Receipt of the request/certificate of suitability for housing regarding the worker's accommodation
• Commitment to transfer building or transfer of building

For the request for a nulla osta for non-seasonal subordinate work it is also necessary to attach

The Declaration of verification of unavailability of worker/workers at the competent Employment Centre. The procedure for this verification of unavailability can be consulted on the Agenzia del Lavoro di Trento website.

12 January 2026, from 9 a.m.: seasonal employment relating to the agricultural sector (application form C-STAG - agricultural)

9 February 2026, from 9 a.m.: seasonal employment in the tourism-hotel sector (application form C-STAG - tourism);

16 February 2026, from 9 a.m.: non-seasonal employment (application form B2020);

18 February 2026, from 9.00 a.m.: non-seasonal employment in the family care sector (application form A-BIS in quota)

From the day after each click day, it will be possible to complete new applications and submit them until 31 December 2026.

Applications for entry clearance for non-EU workers resident abroad can be submitted on the dates of the scheduled click days and in any case by 31 December each year, until the available quotas allocated to the Autonomous Province of Trento by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy are exhausted.