A trend report published on 26 November by Travel and Tour World places Italy alongside Norway, Greece, Malta and Germany as one of the continent’s most attractive destinations for U.S. remote workers. Italy’s digital-nomad visa—introduced in April 2024—allows qualified third-country nationals who earn at least €25,500 annually to reside and work in the country for up to one year, renewable.
Unlike the traditional self-employment visa, the digital-nomad route dispenses with start-up capital requirements and simplifies family reunification. Applicants submit through Italian consulates abroad, providing proof of health insurance and accommodation; final residence permits are issued locally within eight days of arrival. Recent Interior-Ministry data show 11,200 applications lodged since launch, with U.S. nationals accounting for 38 percent and significant interest from Brazil and South Africa.
![Italy’s digital-nomad visa highlighted as Europe widens remote-work options]()
The Travel and Tour World article notes that Italy’s relatively low income threshold compares favourably with Croatia (€32,500) and Spain (€28,000), while offering the lure of 90-percent tax relief under the ‘Impatriate Regime’ for the first five years. Several regions—including Sicily and Calabria—are rolling out co-working incentives and subsidised rail passes to lure long-stay professionals into smaller communities.
For multinationals the visa provides a compliant alternative to “stealth” remote work by employees who wish to base themselves in Italy for lifestyle reasons. HR teams, however, must manage permanent-establishment risk, as revenue agencies could deem remote staff to constitute a taxable presence if they habitually negotiate contracts from Italy.
Immigration advisers expect application volumes to spike in January, when many U.S. digital nomads realign tax residency. Companies should audit remote-work policies and ensure employees understand Italy’s health-insurance and social-security obligations, which vary depending on bilateral totalisation treaties.
Unlike the traditional self-employment visa, the digital-nomad route dispenses with start-up capital requirements and simplifies family reunification. Applicants submit through Italian consulates abroad, providing proof of health insurance and accommodation; final residence permits are issued locally within eight days of arrival. Recent Interior-Ministry data show 11,200 applications lodged since launch, with U.S. nationals accounting for 38 percent and significant interest from Brazil and South Africa.
The Travel and Tour World article notes that Italy’s relatively low income threshold compares favourably with Croatia (€32,500) and Spain (€28,000), while offering the lure of 90-percent tax relief under the ‘Impatriate Regime’ for the first five years. Several regions—including Sicily and Calabria—are rolling out co-working incentives and subsidised rail passes to lure long-stay professionals into smaller communities.
For multinationals the visa provides a compliant alternative to “stealth” remote work by employees who wish to base themselves in Italy for lifestyle reasons. HR teams, however, must manage permanent-establishment risk, as revenue agencies could deem remote staff to constitute a taxable presence if they habitually negotiate contracts from Italy.
Immigration advisers expect application volumes to spike in January, when many U.S. digital nomads realign tax residency. Companies should audit remote-work policies and ensure employees understand Italy’s health-insurance and social-security obligations, which vary depending on bilateral totalisation treaties.
