The Italian Labour Ministry has issued Director’s Note No. 531, activating the non-seasonal quota for year one of the Decreto Flussi 2026-2028 immigration plan. Published on 19 February and publicised on 23 February 2026, the measure frees up 43,300 work permits for salaried employment in manufacturing, logistics, construction, hospitality and domestic work. Twenty-five thousand slots are reserved for nationals of 40 “partner” countries—including Morocco, the Philippines and India—while a further 18,000 places are conditional on new bilateral migration agreements Rome expects to sign this year. An additional 300 quotas are earmarked for stateless persons and UN-recognised refugees.(barlamantoday.com)
Employers can file nulla osta requests immediately; once approved, foreign workers have six months to apply for an entry visa at the relevant Italian consulate and must obtain a residence permit within eight days of arrival. The quotas will be allocated province-by-province based on historical demand and, after 50 days, any unused numbers will be redistributed nationally.
![Italy releases 43,300 non-seasonal work permits for 2026 under new three-year Decreto Flussi]()
For companies and assignees who need to convert an approved nulla osta into an entry visa, VisaHQ can streamline the consular stage: its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) consolidates document checklists, appointment booking and status tracking, ensuring applicants meet the six-month filing window with less administrative burden.
Processing times remain uneven—two to six months depending on prefecture—but the Labour Ministry has committed to fully digitalising the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione by Q3 2026. Companies planning intra-EU postings or start-up relocations should factor the new quota into hiring timelines, especially in the construction sector gearing up for Olympic-related infrastructure projects.
Immigration advisers note that employers must meet strict compliance rules on staff ratios and wage levels; audits have intensified since 2025, with fines up to €50,000 for fraudulent applications. Early filings and strong documentation therefore remain critical for meeting project start dates and avoiding costly delays.
Employers can file nulla osta requests immediately; once approved, foreign workers have six months to apply for an entry visa at the relevant Italian consulate and must obtain a residence permit within eight days of arrival. The quotas will be allocated province-by-province based on historical demand and, after 50 days, any unused numbers will be redistributed nationally.
For companies and assignees who need to convert an approved nulla osta into an entry visa, VisaHQ can streamline the consular stage: its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) consolidates document checklists, appointment booking and status tracking, ensuring applicants meet the six-month filing window with less administrative burden.
Processing times remain uneven—two to six months depending on prefecture—but the Labour Ministry has committed to fully digitalising the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione by Q3 2026. Companies planning intra-EU postings or start-up relocations should factor the new quota into hiring timelines, especially in the construction sector gearing up for Olympic-related infrastructure projects.
Immigration advisers note that employers must meet strict compliance rules on staff ratios and wage levels; audits have intensified since 2025, with fines up to €50,000 for fraudulent applications. Early filings and strong documentation therefore remain critical for meeting project start dates and avoiding costly delays.
