The Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of October 2, 2025 “Programming of legal entry flows into Italy of foreign workers for the three-year period 2026-2028” was published in the Official Gazette on October 15, 2023.
The decree defines the criteria for determining the entry flows for work reasons, within and outside the quotas, sets the quotas for the three-year period and gives provisions on the procedures.
A total of 497,550 third-country nationals will be admitted to Italy, for reasons of seasonal and non-seasonal employment and self-employment, divided as follows:
- 164,850 foreign nationals for the year 2026;
- 165,850 foreign nationals for the year 2027;
- 166,850 foreign nationals for the year 2028.
The decree distributes these quotas between production sectors and contractual categories, also indicating the calendar of applications from employers.
For the 2026 quotas, applications can be sent through the ALI Portal of the Ministry of the Interior on the flowing “click days”:
- January 12, 2026 for seasonal workers in the agricultural sector;
- February 9, 2026 for seasonal workers in the tourism sector;
- February 16, 2026 for non-seasonal employees who are nationals of countries that have agreements on cooperation on migration with Italy, or will sign them during the period of validity of the decree;
- February 18, 2026 for other non-seasonal employees.
The submission of the request for work clearance for entries within the quotas is preceded by the pre-completion phase of the application forms, which will take place in the time period defined by the Joint Circular No. 8047 of October 16, 2025, which provides further implementing provisions of the decree.
From October 23, 2025 until December 7, 2025, the pre-completion period for applications for work authorization (nulla osta) under the 2026 Decreto Flussi will be open. During this period, employers, employers’ associations, and authorized professionals intending to submit applications on the click days will be able to pre-complete the forms through the ALI Services Portal of the Ministry of the Interior, using SPID digital identity or CIE (Electronic Identity Card).
For 2026, the 164,850 quotas are allocated between the following categories:
- 88,000 quotas for Subordinate Seasonal Work in the sector of agriculture; hospitality and tourism industry reserved to certain nationalities;
- 76,200 for non-seasonal subordinate work – work as an employee;
- In the sectors of freight transportation on behalf of third parties, building, hospitality and tourism, mechanics, telecommunications, food, shipbuilding, transportation of passengers by bus, fishing, hairdressing, electricians, plumbers:
- 25,000 for the following nationalities. Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia Herzegovina, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Jordan, Japan, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Japan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan;
- 18,000 for citizens of countries with which Italy has cooperation agreements on migration matters.
- 300 quotas reserved to stateless persons and refugees;
- 13,600 quotas for workers in the family care and support services;
- 19,300 non-reserved quotas;
- 650 quotas for self-employment;
- 10 quotas Reserved to foreign nationals who have Italian ancestry and reside in Venezuela;
- 40 quotas Reserved to foreign nationals who have Italian ancestry and reside in Countries identified by the decree of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation referred to in Article 27, paragraph 1-octies, of the Consolidated Law on Immigration;
- 20 quotas stateless persons and refugees;
- 500 quotas reserved for:
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- entrepreneurs intending to implement an investment plan of interest for the Italian economy, involving an investment of at least EUR 500,000 and creating at least three new jobs in Italy;
- freelancers/independent contractors who intend to practice:
- regulated or controlled professions (i.e. individuals belonging to a professional association or enrolled with an official/public register); OR
- professions that are not non-regulated but are considered representative at national level and included in the lists edited by the Public Administration;
- holders of corporate offices or administrative/controlling positions in an Italian company, operating for at least three years;
- foreign nationals who intend to set up innovative start-up companies, under certain conditions and who will have a self-employment relationship with the start-up;
- internationally well-known artists, artists of the highest repute, artists of recognized high professional qualification or artists who are hired by well-known Italian theatres, important public institutions, public television or well-known national private televisions companies;
- 80 non-reserved quotas.
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