The Italian government has clarified that holders of a residence permit for pending citizenship are permitted to work.
What to Expect
- An eligible foreign national wishing to apply for Italian citizenship must first enter Italy and register their residency at the city hall (commune).
- They should have prepared all the supporting documents, duly legalized and translated as necessary, before arrival.
- Once they have submitted a citizenship application in Italy, they can submit an application for a residence permit for pending citizenship through police headquarters (questura) via the authorized Post Office.
According to the government’s latest guidance, residence permits for pending citizenship can be converted into a residence permit for work purposes, allowing the holder to carry out work, even before the residence permit has been issued. While waiting for the appointment at the police headquarters for the issuance of the residence permit for pending citizenship, the holder can start carrying out work activity supported by the submission receipt of the residence permit application, subject to the employer sending the necessary communication (Unilav) in the case of employment or reporting the employment relationship to INPS (in the case of domestic work).
For the crediting of the salary it is necessary to open a bank or postal account, which is possible even before the issuance of the residence permit, using the submission receipt of the residence permit application.
The government guidance also clarifies that a holder of a residence permit for pending citizenship can also apply for family reunification.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.