What is the yearly Flow Decree?

The yearly Flow Decree is a piece of Italian legislation by which the Italian Government establishes each year the number of visas for non-EU citizens who can enter Italy for employment, self-employment or seasonal work. The yearly Flow Decree also establishes which and how many conversions of certain types of residence permits to other types of permits can be requested by foreign nationals already legally residing in Italy. Please note that not all visas are subjected to the quantitative restrictions set out by the Flow Decree.

What is the content of the Flow Decree for 2023?

For 2023, a total number of 82,705 visas can be issued, divided as follows:

Ø 38,705 entries for employment, seasonal and self-employment.

  • Within this quota, 30,105 entries for employment are reserved for the sectors of road transportation, construction and hotel-tourism, mechanics, telecommunications, food industry and shipbuilding for non-EU nationals, divided as follows
    • 24,105 quotas for non-EU nationals of the following countries
      Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea (Republic of Korea), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Guatemala, India, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine.
    • 6,000 visas are reserved for citizens of non-EU countries with which repatriation cooperation agreements will enter into force in 2023;
  • 1,000 visas are reserved for foreign nationals residing abroad, who have completed training programs under Article 23 of the Legislative Decree 286/1998;
  • 100 visas are reserved for foreign workers residing in Venezuela with Italian origins, up to the third degree along the direct blood lineage from one of their parents;
  • 4,400 conversions into a resident permit for non-seasonal employment are reserved for foreign seasonal workers (already legally residing in Italy) who intend to convert their seasonal permit;
  • 2,000 conversions into an employment permit are reserved for students (already legally residing in Italy) who intend to convert their Italian student permit;
  • 370 conversions into a self-employment residence permit are reserved for students (already legally residing in Italy) who intend to convert their Italian student permit;
  • 200 conversions into Italian employment (work) residence permit are reserved for holders of an EU long-term residence permit issued by another EU Member State;
  • 30 conversions into Italian self-employment residence permit are reserved for holders of an EU long-term residence permit issued by another EU Member State;
  • 500 visas/residence permits are reserved for non-EU citizens residing abroad, belonging to one of the following categories;
    • entrepreneurs who intend to make an investment beneficial for the Italian economy that is worth at least 500,000 euros and it entails the creation of at least three new job posts;
    • freelancers who intend to exercise regulated professions or non-regulated profession or not regulated professions represented by registered national labour associations (click here for more information on this type of visa);
    • holders of a corporate role (such as the one of director) in an Italian Company active for at least 3 years (click here for more information on this type of visa);
    • famous or well-known and highly qualified artists, hired by public or private bodies;
    • foreign citizens who intend to set up an «innovative start-up» company and invest in it at least 50.000 Euros (click here for more information on this type of visa);

Ø 44,000 entries for seasonal employment in the agriculture and tourism-hotel sectors are reserved for foreign nationals from the following countries:

Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea (Republic of Korea), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Guatemala, India, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine.

Please note that The residence permit for seasonal employment has a maximum validity of 9 months, and it is not renewable beyond this time frame. However, if the foreign national is offered a job offer either for permanent or temporary employment, the residence permit can be converted into a standard employment residence permit, which is always renewable. On the other hand, note that the aforementioned conversion is subjected to the quantitative limitations established in the Italian Flow Decree.

Procedural Steps

  • Application for the Certificate of No Impediment (so-called Nulla Osta) by the foreign national or by the Italian employer (depending on the specific application).
  • Application for the Italian Visa before the competent Italian Consulate abroad, within the 6 months validity of the “Certificate of No Impediment” (this phase is not applicable in case of conversion of the residence permit by someone already legally residing in Italy).
  • Entry into Italy and application for the Italian Residence permit.

Deadlines

The time frame to apply for the seasonal work Visa, the employment Visa and for a conversion of the residence permit is from 26 March 2023 to 31 December 2023.

Get in Touch

Do not hesitate to write to us if you wish to have additional information on the matter.