Less than half a day after the 2026 agricultural click-day window opened, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies issued Note 64/2026 confirming the distribution of 40,075 seasonal-work permits across Italy’s regions.([lavoro.gov.it](https://www.lavoro.gov.it/notizie/pagine/flussi-2026-attribuzione-quote-lavoro-subordinato-stagionale?utm_source=openai)) Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna—regions with the highest concentration of fruit and vegetable exporters—received the largest shares, while residual quotas remain centrally held for later re-allocation.
The rapid allocation illustrates how Italy has fine-tuned quota management since last year’s oversubscription fiasco, when thousands of applications were stranded because local offices ran out of permits before the central database updated. Under the new model, any unclaimed provincial slots will revert to the ministry after 50 days, then be reassigned to prefectures still facing worker shortages.
![Government allocates first 40,075 agricultural quotas within hours of Click-Day]()
As companies scramble to navigate these shifting quotas, partnering with a seasoned visa facilitator such as VisaHQ can remove much of the guesswork. The firm’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) tracks live decree changes, pre-screens seasonal-work applications for compliance, and coordinates directly with consulates—helping employers secure permits before regional caps close.
For agribusinesses the message is clear: file complete documentation immediately—or risk watching workers diverted to neighbouring provinces. Employers that miss today’s cut-off may still apply, but their files will sit in an electronic waiting room until additional quotas are freed or the next decree is issued.
Multinationals should track local quota burn-rates and prepare contingency plans such as short-term intra-EU postings or outsourcing harvesting to cooperatives that already secured visas. The ministry’s next quota bulletin is expected in mid-March, giving firms a narrow window to lobby prefectures for reallocations.
The rapid allocation illustrates how Italy has fine-tuned quota management since last year’s oversubscription fiasco, when thousands of applications were stranded because local offices ran out of permits before the central database updated. Under the new model, any unclaimed provincial slots will revert to the ministry after 50 days, then be reassigned to prefectures still facing worker shortages.
As companies scramble to navigate these shifting quotas, partnering with a seasoned visa facilitator such as VisaHQ can remove much of the guesswork. The firm’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) tracks live decree changes, pre-screens seasonal-work applications for compliance, and coordinates directly with consulates—helping employers secure permits before regional caps close.
For agribusinesses the message is clear: file complete documentation immediately—or risk watching workers diverted to neighbouring provinces. Employers that miss today’s cut-off may still apply, but their files will sit in an electronic waiting room until additional quotas are freed or the next decree is issued.
Multinationals should track local quota burn-rates and prepare contingency plans such as short-term intra-EU postings or outsourcing harvesting to cooperatives that already secured visas. The ministry’s next quota bulletin is expected in mid-March, giving firms a narrow window to lobby prefectures for reallocations.
