Italy’s Ministry of Labour has released Circular n. 64 of 12 January 2026, the first implementing act for the three-year immigration quota plan (“Decreto Flussi 2026-2028”). The circular divides 40,075 entry visas for seasonal agricultural work among Italy’s 20 regions and the two autonomous provinces. Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna—whose agro-industrial sectors rely heavily on foreign pickers—receive the largest shares, while smaller allocations go to Valle d’Aosta and Molise. The quotas are reserved for non-EU nationals from the 35 partner countries listed in the decree, mostly in North Africa, the Balkans and South-Asia.
The ministry confirms that employers may file applications from 09:00 on Monday, 12 January, using the unified “ALI” portal. A virtual ‘click-day’ system will assign places on a first-come, first-served basis. Companies must attach proof of adequate accommodation and a commitment to pay return travel if contracts end early—a response to EU pressure to reduce labour exploitation.
For companies that prefer expert guidance through the Italian visa machinery, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support—from compiling accommodation proofs to booking consular appointments and tracking nulla-osta issuance—via a single online dashboard. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
![Italy Allocates 40,075 Seasonal-Agriculture Work Permits Under 2026 Flow Decree]()
Although the headline figure is broadly in line with 2025, practitioners note two innovations. First, unused regional quotas will be re-pooled after 50 days, allowing provinces facing labour shortages to request extra visas. Second, the ministry will publish a mid-season utilisation dashboard, giving employers earlier visibility on remaining slots.
For global mobility managers the circular sets hard timelines: applications that are not completed within six months will be archived automatically, and border police will refuse entry to workers who arrive without the digital ‘nulla-osta’ incorporated in their visa sticker. Multinational agri-businesses therefore need to coordinate tightly with Italian subsidiaries and labour consultants to secure appointments at consulates in source countries whose biometric capacity is often stretched.
At policy level, the move signals the government’s determination to channel migration into legal pathways while cracking down on irregular hiring. Observers expect similar regional breakdowns for tourism and multi-year permits when those quotas open in February, marking a shift from Rome-centric management to a demand-driven model tied to local labour data.
The ministry confirms that employers may file applications from 09:00 on Monday, 12 January, using the unified “ALI” portal. A virtual ‘click-day’ system will assign places on a first-come, first-served basis. Companies must attach proof of adequate accommodation and a commitment to pay return travel if contracts end early—a response to EU pressure to reduce labour exploitation.
For companies that prefer expert guidance through the Italian visa machinery, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support—from compiling accommodation proofs to booking consular appointments and tracking nulla-osta issuance—via a single online dashboard. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
Although the headline figure is broadly in line with 2025, practitioners note two innovations. First, unused regional quotas will be re-pooled after 50 days, allowing provinces facing labour shortages to request extra visas. Second, the ministry will publish a mid-season utilisation dashboard, giving employers earlier visibility on remaining slots.
For global mobility managers the circular sets hard timelines: applications that are not completed within six months will be archived automatically, and border police will refuse entry to workers who arrive without the digital ‘nulla-osta’ incorporated in their visa sticker. Multinational agri-businesses therefore need to coordinate tightly with Italian subsidiaries and labour consultants to secure appointments at consulates in source countries whose biometric capacity is often stretched.
At policy level, the move signals the government’s determination to channel migration into legal pathways while cracking down on irregular hiring. Observers expect similar regional breakdowns for tourism and multi-year permits when those quotas open in February, marking a shift from Rome-centric management to a demand-driven model tied to local labour data.
