Italy’s annual ‘click day’ season is back—and bigger than ever. From 12 January to 18 February 2026 employers can vie online for 88,000 seasonal work permits under the Decreto Flussi programme, according to guidance published on 6 February 2026.
The quota—about 10 per cent higher than last year—allocates 47,000 permits to agriculture, 13,000 to tourism and hospitality (applications opened 9 February) and the remainder to construction and other cyclical sectors. Applications are processed strictly in the order they are received via the Interior Ministry’s portal; last year the agricultural tranche filled in under eight hours, highlighting intense competition among wine estates, fruit growers and beach-resort operators.
Seasonal hiring is now a centrepiece of Italy’s labour strategy. The 2026 quota sits inside a three-year corridor that will admit nearly half-a-million foreign workers between 2026 and 2028, giving businesses rare forward visibility. Policymakers want to avoid the staffing crises that plagued the 2022–23 post-pandemic tourism rebound, when hotels in the Amalfi Coast and farm cooperatives in Puglia were forced to cut services for lack of staff.
![Italy Opens 2026 Seasonal Work-Permit ‘Click Day’ With Record 88,000 Quotas]()
For global mobility teams the message is clear: prepare documentation early, rehearse the portal workflow and gather robust accommodation and contract evidence. Employers may submit a maximum of three applications, and provincial immigration offices (Sportelli Unici) aim to issue nulla osta authorisations within 30 days—tight by Italian standards but essential if workers are to arrive before the May harvest or summer high-season.
If your company needs extra horsepower during the frantic Decreto Flussi window, VisaHQ can step in with end-to-end support—ranging from compiling nulla osta files to scheduling hard-to-get consular appointments and tracking contract-of-stay deadlines. Our Italy specialists keep abreast of portal updates and regional quirks, helping you avoid costly missteps; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/italy/
Businesses should also monitor downstream steps: once the nulla osta is granted, workers must apply for a visa at the Italian consulate in their home country and sign their contract of stay within eight days of arrival. With many consulates shortly pausing services (the VIS-IT system will be offline 12-18 February), contingency planning is vital. Overall, the expanded quota offers a lifeline to sectors facing chronic labour shortages—provided companies can click fast enough.
The quota—about 10 per cent higher than last year—allocates 47,000 permits to agriculture, 13,000 to tourism and hospitality (applications opened 9 February) and the remainder to construction and other cyclical sectors. Applications are processed strictly in the order they are received via the Interior Ministry’s portal; last year the agricultural tranche filled in under eight hours, highlighting intense competition among wine estates, fruit growers and beach-resort operators.
Seasonal hiring is now a centrepiece of Italy’s labour strategy. The 2026 quota sits inside a three-year corridor that will admit nearly half-a-million foreign workers between 2026 and 2028, giving businesses rare forward visibility. Policymakers want to avoid the staffing crises that plagued the 2022–23 post-pandemic tourism rebound, when hotels in the Amalfi Coast and farm cooperatives in Puglia were forced to cut services for lack of staff.
For global mobility teams the message is clear: prepare documentation early, rehearse the portal workflow and gather robust accommodation and contract evidence. Employers may submit a maximum of three applications, and provincial immigration offices (Sportelli Unici) aim to issue nulla osta authorisations within 30 days—tight by Italian standards but essential if workers are to arrive before the May harvest or summer high-season.
If your company needs extra horsepower during the frantic Decreto Flussi window, VisaHQ can step in with end-to-end support—ranging from compiling nulla osta files to scheduling hard-to-get consular appointments and tracking contract-of-stay deadlines. Our Italy specialists keep abreast of portal updates and regional quirks, helping you avoid costly missteps; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/italy/
Businesses should also monitor downstream steps: once the nulla osta is granted, workers must apply for a visa at the Italian consulate in their home country and sign their contract of stay within eight days of arrival. With many consulates shortly pausing services (the VIS-IT system will be offline 12-18 February), contingency planning is vital. Overall, the expanded quota offers a lifeline to sectors facing chronic labour shortages—provided companies can click fast enough.
