Italy’s Council of Ministers approved an emergency decree late on 29 December that, among other measures, automatically extends all residence permits held by Ukrainian nationals until 31 December 2026. The permits—first granted under the EU Temporary Protection Directive in March 2022—had been set to expire in March 2026. The renewal is packaged with Italy’s decision to prolong military and humanitarian support to Kyiv.
For the roughly 175,000 Ukrainians currently living in Italy this removes the immediate risk of lapsing status, allowing continued access to employment, health care and education. Employers benefit as well: staff hired under temporary-protection permits can remain on payroll without new sponsorship applications, avoiding the bottleneck of quota-limited work visas.
For companies or individuals needing hands-on assistance with Italian immigration formalities—whether related to Ukrainian temporary protection or other visa categories—VisaHQ’s Italy team can help. Their platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers document reviews, appointment scheduling with Questure, reminders of upcoming expiries, and courier options for collecting the new biometric cards, ensuring compliance while reducing administrative workload.
![Cabinet decree renews residence permits for displaced Ukrainians through 2026]()
The decree instructs police headquarters (Questure) to issue digital residence cards in place of paper permits, aligning with the EU’s push for biometric uniformity. Holders will receive text notifications when their updated cards are ready, eliminating the need for new applications or postal-kit submissions.
Mobility managers with Ukrainian assignees should audit expiry dates and update HR files once digital cards are collected. The Interior Ministry is expected to issue an operational circular in January detailing renewal logistics and the interaction with pending long-term EU residence applications.
By coupling humanitarian protection with labour-market access, Italy reinforces a pragmatic approach: retain legally employed refugees to offset demographic decline while maintaining solidarity with Ukraine. The model may influence policy debates as other EU states consider 2026 exit strategies from temporary protection.
For the roughly 175,000 Ukrainians currently living in Italy this removes the immediate risk of lapsing status, allowing continued access to employment, health care and education. Employers benefit as well: staff hired under temporary-protection permits can remain on payroll without new sponsorship applications, avoiding the bottleneck of quota-limited work visas.
For companies or individuals needing hands-on assistance with Italian immigration formalities—whether related to Ukrainian temporary protection or other visa categories—VisaHQ’s Italy team can help. Their platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers document reviews, appointment scheduling with Questure, reminders of upcoming expiries, and courier options for collecting the new biometric cards, ensuring compliance while reducing administrative workload.
The decree instructs police headquarters (Questure) to issue digital residence cards in place of paper permits, aligning with the EU’s push for biometric uniformity. Holders will receive text notifications when their updated cards are ready, eliminating the need for new applications or postal-kit submissions.
Mobility managers with Ukrainian assignees should audit expiry dates and update HR files once digital cards are collected. The Interior Ministry is expected to issue an operational circular in January detailing renewal logistics and the interaction with pending long-term EU residence applications.
By coupling humanitarian protection with labour-market access, Italy reinforces a pragmatic approach: retain legally employed refugees to offset demographic decline while maintaining solidarity with Ukraine. The model may influence policy debates as other EU states consider 2026 exit strategies from temporary protection.
