Barely 48 hours after employers scrambled to submit requests in the 12 January click-day, the Ministry of Labour on 14 January 2026 released its initial territorial allocation of seasonal-agricultural quotas. Of the 88,000 permits available for 2026, 40,075 have now been distributed among Italy’s 20 regions according to crop calendars and historical demand.
The quotas flow from the new three-year Flow Decree, which authorises 497,550 foreign-worker entries between 2026 and 2028. In this first tranche, 30,000 permits go to applications channelled through employers’ organisations that signed a protocol with the ministry; 4,700 to direct applications by individual farms; 4,875 earmarked for nationals of countries with forthcoming migration-cooperation agreements; and 500 reserved for multi-year (pluriennale) permits.
By mid-March, prefectures must issue the nulla osta (work authorisation) within 30 days, halving last year’s turnaround. Any unused visas will be re-pooled and reassigned after 50 days—a new flexibility mechanism designed to match real labour needs.
![Government allocates first 40,075 farm-work visas after 12 January click-day]()
For employers and sponsored workers who want to avoid last-minute surprises, VisaHQ can simplify every step of the Italian seasonal-work visa process, offering document checks, deadline alerts and direct submission support through its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). Leveraging the platform’s guidance can be a time-saver during the compressed 30-day nulla osta window and helps minimise rejection risks.
Agricultural associations welcomed the faster timeline but warned that labour gaps remain acute in fruit harvesting and greenhouse operations. Employers unable to secure a quota may try again during the tourism-sector click-day on 9 February or explore conversion routes for existing permit-holders.
Mobility managers with agri-business subsidiaries should verify that housing standards and contract templates meet the stricter 2025 anti-exploitation rules; inspections have intensified, and non-compliance can void authorisations and block future applications.
The quotas flow from the new three-year Flow Decree, which authorises 497,550 foreign-worker entries between 2026 and 2028. In this first tranche, 30,000 permits go to applications channelled through employers’ organisations that signed a protocol with the ministry; 4,700 to direct applications by individual farms; 4,875 earmarked for nationals of countries with forthcoming migration-cooperation agreements; and 500 reserved for multi-year (pluriennale) permits.
By mid-March, prefectures must issue the nulla osta (work authorisation) within 30 days, halving last year’s turnaround. Any unused visas will be re-pooled and reassigned after 50 days—a new flexibility mechanism designed to match real labour needs.
For employers and sponsored workers who want to avoid last-minute surprises, VisaHQ can simplify every step of the Italian seasonal-work visa process, offering document checks, deadline alerts and direct submission support through its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). Leveraging the platform’s guidance can be a time-saver during the compressed 30-day nulla osta window and helps minimise rejection risks.
Agricultural associations welcomed the faster timeline but warned that labour gaps remain acute in fruit harvesting and greenhouse operations. Employers unable to secure a quota may try again during the tourism-sector click-day on 9 February or explore conversion routes for existing permit-holders.
Mobility managers with agri-business subsidiaries should verify that housing standards and contract templates meet the stricter 2025 anti-exploitation rules; inspections have intensified, and non-compliance can void authorisations and block future applications.
