Moving to Italy

Most non-EU workers need three things in order: a work authorisation (nulla osta) that the employer requests from the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione, a national (type D) visa from the Italian consulate, and a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) requested within 8 working days of arrival. Italy is in the EU and the Schengen Area. Processing figures below are legal maximums for the nulla osta stage only, not end-to-end times.

Average gross pay is about €36,279 a year per full-time employee (ISTAT average gross pay). Minimum wage: No statutory national minimum wage; sector minimums set by collective agreements (CCNL).

Long-term lets in Italy mostly use the 4+4 (canone libero) free-market contract or a Canone concordato (locally agreed rent) contract. The rents below are official averages for new long-term leases registered in 2025 across each whole city, from the Agenzia delle Entrate property observatory (OMI).

Italy taxes employment income with national IRPEF in three bands (23%, 33% and 43%), plus a regional and a municipal surcharge (addizionali) on the same income. Your employer withholds tax and the employee INPS contribution from each payslip. Standard VAT (IVA) is 22%.

Long-term residence, family reunification and citizenship rules from Italian law (Testo unico immigrazione and the citizenship law), with the fees set nationally.

After your permit is approved, register for a tax ID, banking, and healthcare — the checklist further down covers the full sequence.