Italy has kicked off the new year by re-affirming an ambitious immigration quota programme that will open nearly half a million legal job opportunities to non-EU nationals over the next three years. A detailed explainer published on 6 January summarises the Prime-Ministerial Decree (DPCM) known as the 2026-28 Decreto Flussi, which was printed in the Official Gazette late last year and is now entering its operational phase.
The decree authorises 164,850 work permits for 2026, rising to 165,850 in 2027 and 166,850 in 2028. The lion’s share—about 88,000 places in 2026—goes to seasonal workers in agriculture and tourism, two sectors facing acute labour shortages. A further 72,200 slots are reserved for non-seasonal employees in construction, logistics and manufacturing, while 650 permits are set aside for entrepreneurs, start-up founders and other self-employed professionals.
Application windows, better known as “click-days”, have already been pencilled in. Employers can file requests for agricultural seasonal staff from 12 January, with tourism roles following on 9 February. Non-seasonal hires must wait until 16 February, and the domestic-care sector opens on 18 February. All submissions are made through the Interior Ministry’s ALI portal, which has been upgraded to handle digital signatures and PEC-certified e-mail, eliminating paper forms and shortening processing times.
![Italy confirms 497,550 new work-visa slots under 2026-28 Flow Decree]()
For those looking to navigate the Decreto Flussi requirements with minimal hassle, VisaHQ provides end-to-end support—from document preparation and translation to scheduling consular appointments—via its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The platform’s real-time updates on quota availability and regulatory changes can help employers and applicants avoid common errors and secure a coveted slot before the quotas close.
For companies running mobility programmes, the expanded quotas create new options to alleviate Italy’s chronic skills gaps, especially in logistics and elder care. Immigration advisers highlight, however, that slots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and can be exhausted within minutes. Employers should therefore pre-populate applications now and line up supporting documents—including employment contracts, accommodation proof and INPS declarations—to maximise their chances on click-day.
The Flow Decree also introduces a territorial allocation model: within ten days of the application window closing, the Ministry of Labour will distribute permits by province based on documented labour demand. This should, in theory, direct foreign talent to regions where shortages are most acute, but businesses will need to monitor local labour-office notices closely. Finally, unused quotas may roll over into the following year, giving authorities flexibility to tweak numbers if economic conditions change.
The decree authorises 164,850 work permits for 2026, rising to 165,850 in 2027 and 166,850 in 2028. The lion’s share—about 88,000 places in 2026—goes to seasonal workers in agriculture and tourism, two sectors facing acute labour shortages. A further 72,200 slots are reserved for non-seasonal employees in construction, logistics and manufacturing, while 650 permits are set aside for entrepreneurs, start-up founders and other self-employed professionals.
Application windows, better known as “click-days”, have already been pencilled in. Employers can file requests for agricultural seasonal staff from 12 January, with tourism roles following on 9 February. Non-seasonal hires must wait until 16 February, and the domestic-care sector opens on 18 February. All submissions are made through the Interior Ministry’s ALI portal, which has been upgraded to handle digital signatures and PEC-certified e-mail, eliminating paper forms and shortening processing times.
For those looking to navigate the Decreto Flussi requirements with minimal hassle, VisaHQ provides end-to-end support—from document preparation and translation to scheduling consular appointments—via its dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The platform’s real-time updates on quota availability and regulatory changes can help employers and applicants avoid common errors and secure a coveted slot before the quotas close.
For companies running mobility programmes, the expanded quotas create new options to alleviate Italy’s chronic skills gaps, especially in logistics and elder care. Immigration advisers highlight, however, that slots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and can be exhausted within minutes. Employers should therefore pre-populate applications now and line up supporting documents—including employment contracts, accommodation proof and INPS declarations—to maximise their chances on click-day.
The Flow Decree also introduces a territorial allocation model: within ten days of the application window closing, the Ministry of Labour will distribute permits by province based on documented labour demand. This should, in theory, direct foreign talent to regions where shortages are most acute, but businesses will need to monitor local labour-office notices closely. Finally, unused quotas may roll over into the following year, giving authorities flexibility to tweak numbers if economic conditions change.
