By Lorenzo Agnoloni

Italy is home to thousands of Americans, but with strict visa requirements they had to fight through a quagmire of bureaucracy to get here. So many people are asking how others dreaming of making the move can get through the process as painlessly as possible.

Unlike those from within the European Union, Americans are unable to just pack up and go to Italy for a little period of "la dolce vita" to spend for vacation. In fact, it is not a simple problem. It requires a work permit or visa, rules for which have grown tighter in recent years as the authorities tighten
restrictions to stem soaring unemployment. The difficulty of obtaining a visa, coupled with an impatience to fulfill their dream, drives many Americans to arrive in Italy without one.

It is true that some Americans encounter problems, misunderstandings, and excessive delays when applying to work in Italy. But must be said that those who ignore the paperwork are not only breaking the law, but also putting themselves in a vulnerable position if they should fall ill or need police assistance.

Americans can only obtain a work permit in Italy through sponsorship from an
Italian company or a foreign corporation doing business in Italy. All paperwork must be filed by the employer. This starts with watch for the publication of the 'Flow Decree,' which stipulates Italy's entry quotas from any given country for the year and is usually published in late January or early February.

Certain jobs are exempt from the quota system, including university professors, translators, interpreters and some roles in the performing arts. Therefore, it is important to check if and how you might be affected. It is crucial for the sponsor to begin the visa application procedure as soon as possible after the publication of the quota list, because most quotas are filled within a few days. Applications arriving after the quota is filled, or completed incorrectly, are rejected with no chance of appeal. 

The Italian employer must then lodge an application for the work permit with the Central Immigration Office (Sportello Unico). If successful, the applicant will be issued with a no impediment (nulla osta) document. This functions as

a guarantee that the sponsor will enter into a contractual working relationship with the American employee to-be.

In some professions, employers must also apply to the provincial employment office in their city by submitting evidence that there is nobody qualified for the position offered available in the local labour market. Though rare, it is possible for the authorities to suggest the employment of an EU citizen in their place.

Only once the no impediment document is granted, may an American apply for an entry visa (visto d'ingresso per motivi di lavoro) at an Italian consular office in their home city. This must be done before the American moves to Italy. 

Americans already in Italy have to return to the U.S. to apply for their entry visa. One of the main reasons Americans experience difficulties is that many employers are unwilling to go through the necessary procedure, maybe because of the slow and meticulous Italian bureaucracy, or because of the set quotas. It is possible to enter the country with a more easily obtainable student visa, for example, and convert this to a working one once they have found an employer in Italy. (Tourist visas cannot be converted to working
ones.) This procedure again involves applying to the Central Immigration Office for authorization.

For freelancers or those hoping to work independently, the process is slightly different. Workers must apply for the visa independently and receive the no impediment document from the local police headquarters. There are further restrictions on the number of freelancers that may enter from a certain country or nationality in any given year, and freelancers must also prove they have a
proper income and adequate accommodation arranged in Italy.

Within eight working days of arriving in Italy with their temporary work permit, all Americans must apply for a short-term residency permit (permesso di soggiorno). They also need to apply for a tax code (codice fiscale), one of the easier hurdles of Italian bureaucracy, at their local revenue agency.

The final step is to present the signed work contract to the local employment office (Centro per l'impiego), where the application will be approved. With the temporary permit, the tax code, and the approval of the employment office, the police headquarters  will finally issue the long-term work permit. The visa itself costs around $130 and the process can take anywhere between 30 and 120 days.

But what if the job offer falls through during the process, or an American loses their job in Italy? In these cases it is important to look for another job immediately, because the legislation in force allows the employees to stay only six months after the loss of the former job. The process may be longwinded,
but it is perfectly possible for Americans to come to Italy for work – as long as you've got the time, organization, patience, and the necessary paperwork.

Source: National Italian American Bar Association