A new three-year Decreto Flussi programme approved by Italy’s Council of Ministers on 29 April sets the most ambitious immigration quotas in the country’s history: 497,550 additional non-EU workers spread across 2026-2028. For 2026 alone, 164,850 permits are earmarked, split between 267,000 seasonal slots over the triennium (mainly agriculture and tourism) and 230,550 non-seasonal or self-employment places. Unlike previous one-year quota decrees that triggered ‘click-day’ application frenzies, the new framework is designed to give employers multi-year visibility and allow ministries to stagger application windows.
![Italy moves toward record 497,550 work-permit quotas for 2026-2028]()
Businesses and individual applicants looking to secure places under these new quotas can leverage VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy service (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) to monitor opening dates, compile compliant documentation and book embassy appointments, saving weeks of administrative time and avoiding costly errors.
Employer groups Coldiretti and Confagricoltura welcomed the plan, saying predictable numbers will help farms line up harvest labour months in advance. For multinational companies the change is equally significant. Manufacturing and logistics firms operating in Italy’s industrial north often struggle to obtain blue-collar visas when quotas run out mid-year. HR directors should map workforce plans against the new allotments and prepare nulla osta packages early; authorities have hinted at moving toward a rolling application model once new digital platforms are ready. Still unresolved is how quickly consulates can issue visas. Trade associations note that appointments in North Africa and South-Asia can exceed 90 days, threatening project start-dates. The government says it will pilot an online queueing tool and hire 300 extra visa officers by autumn. If enacted as drafted, the decree positions Italy as one of the EU’s most open labour markets, second only to Germany in absolute numbers. Companies should monitor implementing circulars – expected by July – that will detail sector caps, regional redistributions and proof-of-accommodation rules.
Businesses and individual applicants looking to secure places under these new quotas can leverage VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy service (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) to monitor opening dates, compile compliant documentation and book embassy appointments, saving weeks of administrative time and avoiding costly errors.
Employer groups Coldiretti and Confagricoltura welcomed the plan, saying predictable numbers will help farms line up harvest labour months in advance. For multinational companies the change is equally significant. Manufacturing and logistics firms operating in Italy’s industrial north often struggle to obtain blue-collar visas when quotas run out mid-year. HR directors should map workforce plans against the new allotments and prepare nulla osta packages early; authorities have hinted at moving toward a rolling application model once new digital platforms are ready. Still unresolved is how quickly consulates can issue visas. Trade associations note that appointments in North Africa and South-Asia can exceed 90 days, threatening project start-dates. The government says it will pilot an online queueing tool and hire 300 extra visa officers by autumn. If enacted as drafted, the decree positions Italy as one of the EU’s most open labour markets, second only to Germany in absolute numbers. Companies should monitor implementing circulars – expected by July – that will detail sector caps, regional redistributions and proof-of-accommodation rules.
