Barely a year after Italy’s Digital Nomad Visa became operational, lawmakers are debating a tailor-made fiscal incentive designed to keep remote professionals—and their spending power—in the country. A draft amendment to the 2026 Budget Law leaked on 8 December would create a “Digital Nomad Tax Bonus” that runs alongside the existing visa and stay-permit regime introduced in April 2024.
Under today’s framework newcomers must use the reformed Impatriati Regime, which from 1 January 2025 became markedly stricter: applicants need a degree or “highly-skilled” status, at least three years of non-Italian tax residence, and must perform most work on Italian soil. Many globally mobile freelancers fall outside those parameters. The proposed bonus would relax those conditions specifically for Digital Nomad Visa holders, granting a partial income-tax exemption regardless of client location or formal academic qualifications.
![Rome Mulls Dedicated Tax Break to Make Its Digital-Nomad Visa Stick]()
If you’re eyeing Italy’s digital-nomad opportunities, VisaHQ can guide you through every bureaucratic step—from gathering proof of income to booking consular appointments—via its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The platform’s real-time eligibility checks and document-preparation tools shave days off the application timeline, letting you concentrate on landing clients rather than chasing stamps and signatures.
Policy architects argue that aligning tax and immigration rules will encourage longer stays, stimulate spending in second-tier cities and help reverse Italy’s brain drain. Treasury officials warn of lost revenue and potential abuse by short-term visitors who might secure tax relief without genuine economic integration.
For corporate mobility teams the measure could be transformative. Employers reluctant to station remote staff in Italy for cost reasons would gain a predictable fiscal framework, reducing compliance risk. Practical takeaway: start collecting evidence of remote-work arrangements, health insurance and accommodation contracts so that employees can pivot quickly once final rules—and any tax deadlines—are published, possibly as early as 1 July 2026.
Under today’s framework newcomers must use the reformed Impatriati Regime, which from 1 January 2025 became markedly stricter: applicants need a degree or “highly-skilled” status, at least three years of non-Italian tax residence, and must perform most work on Italian soil. Many globally mobile freelancers fall outside those parameters. The proposed bonus would relax those conditions specifically for Digital Nomad Visa holders, granting a partial income-tax exemption regardless of client location or formal academic qualifications.
If you’re eyeing Italy’s digital-nomad opportunities, VisaHQ can guide you through every bureaucratic step—from gathering proof of income to booking consular appointments—via its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The platform’s real-time eligibility checks and document-preparation tools shave days off the application timeline, letting you concentrate on landing clients rather than chasing stamps and signatures.
Policy architects argue that aligning tax and immigration rules will encourage longer stays, stimulate spending in second-tier cities and help reverse Italy’s brain drain. Treasury officials warn of lost revenue and potential abuse by short-term visitors who might secure tax relief without genuine economic integration.
For corporate mobility teams the measure could be transformative. Employers reluctant to station remote staff in Italy for cost reasons would gain a predictable fiscal framework, reducing compliance risk. Practical takeaway: start collecting evidence of remote-work arrangements, health insurance and accommodation contracts so that employees can pivot quickly once final rules—and any tax deadlines—are published, possibly as early as 1 July 2026.
