Italy is currently grappling with labor shortages in various industries, prompting a reliance on foreign workers to address the job vacancies spread across the nation.
The European Labor Authority (EURES) has identified healthcare and social services, science and technology, engineering and construction, and hospitality as sectors with the highest demand for workers.
This shortage presents an opportunity for foreign individuals skilled in these fields who aspire to live and work in Italy. Projections for the most challenging occupations to fill between 2023 and 2027 include:
Conversely, professions like mail sorting and delivery clerks, as well as bank officers, are expected to experience below-average demand and low recruitment difficulty, suggesting a potential decline in interest for these roles.
The Ministry of Interior of Italy recently disclosed that Italian employers have submitted approximately 608,000 pre-applications for non-EU workers before the annual work visa lottery.
However, the quota for non-EU country workers has been set at 136,000 for the coming year. Among these applications, 260,950 are for seasonal positions in tourism and agriculture, 253,470 for non-seasonal roles in construction and related sectors, and roughly 86,070 for positions like domestic workers and health caretakers.
Earlier this year, the Italian government implemented changes to the legislation governing foreign workers and the acquisition of residence permits. These adjustments aim to streamline the employment and relocation processes for foreign workers in the country.
Non-EU citizens aspiring to work in Italy must follow a specific procedure. First, they need to secure a job in Italy, after which the Italian employer can apply for a work permit. Once the work permit is granted, the individual can proceed to apply for a work visa at the Italian representative offices in their respective countries.
