Short answer
Italy's three-year work-entry decree sets about 164,850 places a year for 2026-2028. Applications run through the ALI portal until 31 December 2026, within quota limits.
Information, not legal advice. MovItaly is not a law firm. Check with the questura or consulate before you act.
As of 20 October 2026 (official sources checked; not yet editor-verified).
Who is this for
Non-EU workers who want a job in Italy, and Italian employers who want to hire them from abroad.
What changed
A Prime Minister decree (DPCM of 2 October 2025, published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on 15 October 2025) sets the entry quotas for 2026, 2027 and 2028. Reported figures for 2026: about 164,850 entries, split into roughly 76,200 non-seasonal employees, 650 self-employed and 88,000 seasonal workers. Seasonal quotas for 2027 and 2028 are reported as slightly higher.
Requirements
- The employer applies, not the worker. You need a job offer first.
- Applications go through the ALI portal and are limited by quota.
- Submission is possible until 31 December 2026 while quota remains.
Steps
- Ask your prospective Italian employer whether they have filed or plan to file.
- Check the quota category (seasonal agriculture, seasonal tourism, non-seasonal, family care).
- Once the clearance (nulla osta) is issued, apply for the visa at the Italian consulate in your country.
Costs & timing
Seasonal clearances were indicated at about 20 days, non-seasonal about 60 days.
Common mistakes
- Paying intermediaries who promise a guaranteed place. Only the employer can file, and quotas run out.
- Assuming the quota is a guarantee. It is a ceiling.
Where to get help
Italian consulate in your country, the Ministry of the Interior immigration pages, a trade union patronato.
TO VERIFY: exact quota figures per category and the 2027-2028 split against the official interministerial circular n. 8047 of 16 October 2025.
Sources
- Ministry of the Interior - immigration and asylum (Ministero dell'Interno)
- Portale ALI (flussi applications) (Ministero dell'Interno)
- Gazzetta Ufficiale (Poligrafico dello Stato)