At exactly 09:00 CET on 12 January 2026, the Ministry of the Interior’s one-stop immigration portal went live for the first “click-day” of the new three-year Flow Decree (decreto flussi). Within seconds, tens of thousands of employers—many using automated upload tools—began competing electronically for 88,000 seasonal-work permits earmarked for agriculture and tourism–hospitality.([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/it/italys-january-12-click-day-will-release-88000-seasonal-work-permits/?utm_source=openai))
The 2026–2028 decree, adopted on 2 October 2025, authorises a record 497,550 non-EU entries over three years and staggers application windows to relieve bottlenecks. Agricultural quotas open first (12 January), followed by tourism (9 February) and two non-seasonal rounds (16 and 18 February). This year’s opening tranche is 10 percent larger than in 2025, reflecting bumper crop forecasts and record hotel bookings along Italy’s coastline.([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2025-10-24/it/new-decreto-flussi-sets-497550-work-visa-quotas-for-2026-2028/?utm_source=openai))
Employers were allowed to pre-fill forms between 23 October and 7 December 2025, upload scanned contracts and digitally sign declarations—changes designed to shorten processing times and curb fraud.([confagricolturaro.it](https://www.confagricolturaro.it/confagricoltura-informa/lavoro/contratti/lavoratori-extracomunitari-decreto-flussi-2026/?utm_source=openai))
![Italy opens 2026 “Click-Day”, putting 88,000 seasonal-work permits up for grabs]()
For those navigating the post-nulla osta phase, VisaHQ can step in to coordinate the consular visa application, advise on document translation and legalisation, and keep both employer and worker informed through its online dashboard. Full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
Applications submitted today will be queued chronologically; successful cases should receive the nulla osta within 20 days (seasonal work) or 60 days (non-seasonal), after which the worker may apply for a visa in their home country.
For corporate mobility managers the speed of allocation is critical: last year the agricultural quota was exhausted in under 40 minutes. Large farm cooperatives now run parallel “click-rooms” and stress-test broadband capacity to avoid fatal seconds of lag. Hotels—many short-staffed since the pandemic—are partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to bulk-file applications and secure staff ahead of the summer rush.
Practically, companies should double-check that: (1) their PEC e-mail is active and listed in INI-PEC; (2) requests match the correct province and collective-labour-agreement wage level; and (3) accommodation declarations are uploaded in PDF under 2 MB. Mobilising legal counsel early can prevent last-minute rejections that push a file outside the quota, forcing employers to wait until 2027.
The 2026–2028 decree, adopted on 2 October 2025, authorises a record 497,550 non-EU entries over three years and staggers application windows to relieve bottlenecks. Agricultural quotas open first (12 January), followed by tourism (9 February) and two non-seasonal rounds (16 and 18 February). This year’s opening tranche is 10 percent larger than in 2025, reflecting bumper crop forecasts and record hotel bookings along Italy’s coastline.([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2025-10-24/it/new-decreto-flussi-sets-497550-work-visa-quotas-for-2026-2028/?utm_source=openai))
Employers were allowed to pre-fill forms between 23 October and 7 December 2025, upload scanned contracts and digitally sign declarations—changes designed to shorten processing times and curb fraud.([confagricolturaro.it](https://www.confagricolturaro.it/confagricoltura-informa/lavoro/contratti/lavoratori-extracomunitari-decreto-flussi-2026/?utm_source=openai))
For those navigating the post-nulla osta phase, VisaHQ can step in to coordinate the consular visa application, advise on document translation and legalisation, and keep both employer and worker informed through its online dashboard. Full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
Applications submitted today will be queued chronologically; successful cases should receive the nulla osta within 20 days (seasonal work) or 60 days (non-seasonal), after which the worker may apply for a visa in their home country.
For corporate mobility managers the speed of allocation is critical: last year the agricultural quota was exhausted in under 40 minutes. Large farm cooperatives now run parallel “click-rooms” and stress-test broadband capacity to avoid fatal seconds of lag. Hotels—many short-staffed since the pandemic—are partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to bulk-file applications and secure staff ahead of the summer rush.
Practically, companies should double-check that: (1) their PEC e-mail is active and listed in INI-PEC; (2) requests match the correct province and collective-labour-agreement wage level; and (3) accommodation declarations are uploaded in PDF under 2 MB. Mobilising legal counsel early can prevent last-minute rejections that push a file outside the quota, forcing employers to wait until 2027.
