The Italian government has moved quickly to align national rules with the EU’s latest decision to prolong temporary protection for people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A decree-law (DL 201/2025) published in the Official Gazette on 31 December 2025 allows the roughly 60,000 Ukrainians currently registered in Italy to renew their permesso di soggiorno until 4 March 2027.
The renewal is not automatic: holders must file an application at the local police headquarters (Questura) before their present card expires on 4 March 2026. Fees are waived and appointments can be booked online. Crucially for businesses, the decree continues to authorise conversion of temporary-protection permits into regular work permits, enabling employers to hire Ukrainian talent without counting against the annual immigration quota. Converted permits will now be valid for two years instead of one, reducing paperwork for HR teams.
VisaHQ stands ready to assist both Ukrainian nationals and Italian employers through this renewal cycle. Via its dedicated Italy platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/), the company offers streamlined appointment scheduling with the Questura, tailored document checklists and real-time application tracking—services that can significantly lighten the administrative load for HR teams handling multiple permesso di soggiorno renewals or work-permit conversions.
![Italy extends temporary-protection residence permits for Ukrainians until 4 March 2027]()
Italian regions have been instructed to keep reception measures in place through 2026, including language training and fast-track recognition of healthcare qualifications. An earlier civil-protection decree extends permission for Ukrainian doctors and nurses to practise in Italy until 31 December 2025, easing staffing pressure in public hospitals.
For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: Ukrainian assignees may remain and work in Italy for at least another year without going through the standard visa channel. Employers should, however, monitor local Questura backlogs—especially in Milan and Rome—where appointment slots are already scarce. Companies are advised to file renewal requests by mid-February and to assist employees in gathering updated proof of address and employment.
Law firms also point out that the new decree tightens travel rules: temporary-protection holders may spend no more than 90 days in any 180-day period outside Italy, or risk non-renewal. HR should brief travellers accordingly and log cross-border trips.
The renewal is not automatic: holders must file an application at the local police headquarters (Questura) before their present card expires on 4 March 2026. Fees are waived and appointments can be booked online. Crucially for businesses, the decree continues to authorise conversion of temporary-protection permits into regular work permits, enabling employers to hire Ukrainian talent without counting against the annual immigration quota. Converted permits will now be valid for two years instead of one, reducing paperwork for HR teams.
VisaHQ stands ready to assist both Ukrainian nationals and Italian employers through this renewal cycle. Via its dedicated Italy platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/), the company offers streamlined appointment scheduling with the Questura, tailored document checklists and real-time application tracking—services that can significantly lighten the administrative load for HR teams handling multiple permesso di soggiorno renewals or work-permit conversions.
Italian regions have been instructed to keep reception measures in place through 2026, including language training and fast-track recognition of healthcare qualifications. An earlier civil-protection decree extends permission for Ukrainian doctors and nurses to practise in Italy until 31 December 2025, easing staffing pressure in public hospitals.
For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: Ukrainian assignees may remain and work in Italy for at least another year without going through the standard visa channel. Employers should, however, monitor local Questura backlogs—especially in Milan and Rome—where appointment slots are already scarce. Companies are advised to file renewal requests by mid-February and to assist employees in gathering updated proof of address and employment.
Law firms also point out that the new decree tightens travel rules: temporary-protection holders may spend no more than 90 days in any 180-day period outside Italy, or risk non-renewal. HR should brief travellers accordingly and log cross-border trips.
