Italy Opens 2027 Foreign-Worker Quotas: 165,850 Permits Available
Updated: 2 hours ago
ROME, October 6, 2026 — Italy has formally opened the 2027 tranche of its three-year foreign-worker programme, releasing Joint Circular No. 7185/2026 on October 5 that translates national quota figures into detailed operating instructions for employers, immigration consultants, and provincial immigration desks. The circular, reported by the national construction association ANCE, implements the 2 October 2025 Flow Decree (DPCM) and confirms a 2027 ceiling of 165,850 new permits — 1,000 more than 2026.
The allocation includes 89,000 slots for seasonal work, 66,000 for non-seasonal subordinate employment, and 10,850 for self-employment and highly skilled categories such as intra-corporate transferees and digital-nomad professionals .
Where the Jobs Are
Agriculture continues to dominate seasonal allocations with 47,000 places. Construction (12,000) and road haulage (9,500) receive the largest non-seasonal shares. Family assistance accounts for 14,000 non-seasonal slots .
Key Dates: Two Click Days
Employers may begin pre-compiling applications from October 23, 2026, with the submission window running through December 7. Two separate "click days" will open the electronic gates at 9:00 a.m. CET on November 6 and 7 .
Applications are processed on a strict first-come, first-served basis. Given last year's record 1.8 million applications for 164,850 places, employers unable to click in the first minutes risk waiting many months for a reopening .
What's New in 2027
Early vetting mechanism: The National Labour Inspectorate can now cross-check labour-contract compliance before the click day, allowing problematic applications to be flagged early .
Seasonal permit conversions: Third-country nationals already in Italy with expiring seasonal permits can convert to multi-year seasonal status without counting against the quota .
Digital-nomad permits extended: Residence permits issued under the highly-skilled "digital-nomad" category will now be valid for two years instead of one .
What Employers Need to Know
For multinational companies, the timeline is tight. Corporate HR teams must gather powers of attorney, proof of suitable accommodation, and certified labour contracts well before the late-October pre-filing window .
Companies with large agricultural or construction workforces are urged to use accredited trade-associations that enjoy priority channels under the decree .
The Broader Strategy
Beyond immediate hiring needs, the circular signals Rome's broader strategy of multi-year planning to meet structural labour shortages while curbing irregular migration. If implementation is smooth, the government is expected to propose a simplified quota system — modelled on Spain's unit-based scheme — when the current triennial plan expires in 2028 .
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Details |
Circular | Joint Circular No. 7185/2026 |
Total Quota | 165,850 permits |
Seasonal | 89,000 (Agriculture: 47,000) |
Non-Seasonal | 66,000 (Construction: 12,000; Road Haulage: 9,500) |
Self-Employment/Highly Skilled | 10,850 |
Pre-compilation Opens | October 23, 2026 |
Pre-compilation Closes | December 7, 2026 |
Click Days | November 6 and 7, 2026 |
Processing | First-come, first-served |
Read Also
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