Decreto Flussi 2027: Updates
From 23 October 2026, employers in Italy can start preparing their applications to hire non-EU workers under the Decreto Flussi 2027. The first “click day”, the moment when applications can be sent, is on 12 January 2027. The procedure is explained in the joint Circular No. 7185 of 1 October 2026, issued by the Ministries of Interior, Labour, Agriculture and Tourism.
What is the Decreto Flussi?
The Decreto Flussi is the Italian decree that sets how many non-EU workers can enter Italy for work. The 2026–2028 decree allows 497,550 entries in three years, with 165,850 places for 2027.
The worker cannot apply alone. The employer in Italy requests a nulla osta (work authorisation) online, and the Immigration Desk (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione) issues it. Only after this, the worker applies for the entry visa at the Italian consulate. Most places are reserved for citizens of countries that have cooperation agreements with Italy on migration. The decree lists 38 countries, such as India, Morocco and the Philippines, and also covers countries that sign agreements during the three years. The seasonal places are open only to citizens of these countries. Non-seasonal places can be used only for jobs in 13 sectors listed by the decree: agriculture, forestry and fishing; food, beverage and tobacco; textile, clothing and footwear; metallurgy and metal products; other industries; construction; wholesale and retail trade; accommodation and catering; tourism services; transport, logistics and warehousing; support services for businesses and individuals; health, social assistance and private health services; other services. Family care in private homes has its own places, reserved to domestic work contracts. Seasonal places are only for agriculture and tourism
Pre-filling and click days
Pre-filling means that the employer completes and saves the application online in advance. On the click day, the application is only sent. Places are limited and applications are ordered by the time they are sent. The employer logs in to the ALI portal of the Ministry of the Interior with an Italian digital identity (SPID or CIE).
- From 9:00 on 23 October to 20:00 on 7 December 2026, the portal is open every day, holidays included.
- From 9:00 on 9 December to 20:00 on 13 December 2026, the portal reopens only to complete and save applications already started. New applications cannot be created. Only applications saved as “da inviare” (ready to send) can be sent.
- From 9:00 on the following dates, applications can be sent for:
- 12 January 2027: seasonal work in agriculture
- 9 February 2027: seasonal work in tourism
- 16 February 2027: non-seasonal work in the sectors listed by the decree
- 18 February 2027: family care work under a domestic work contract
Applications can be sent until 31 December 2027, as long as places are available.
What is new
- For 2027, there are 76,200 places for non-seasonal work (14,000 for family care), 89,000 for seasonal work in agriculture and tourism. The cicular also points out that:
- Kenya is added to the countries whose citizens can be hired under the 2027 places. Italy and Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding on migration and mobility on 2 July 2026.
- The employer has 15 days to confirm the nulla osta, from the notice that the checks on the visa application are completed.
- The contract of stay must be signed within 15 days from the worker’s arrival in Italy, instead of 8.
- The employer must inform the worker of every communication received on the procedure.
Care work outside the quotas
There is also a separate channel, outside the Decreto Flussi quotas. On an experimental basis, 10,000 entries a year (2025–2028) are foreseen for workers who assist people with disabilities, people aged 80 or more and children up to six years old.
The employer cannot apply alone. The request is filed through an employment agency (APL) or an employers’ association that signed the national collective agreement for domestic work, using a specific form on the ALI portal. This is different from the 14,000 in-quota places above, which follow the click day of 18 February.
Scam alert
Places are limited and nobody can guarantee one. Be careful with anyone who asks for money to “reserve” a place or guarantees a work permit. The nulla osta is requested by the employer in Italy, or by an authorised intermediary on the employer’s behalf, never by the worker, and only on the official ALI portal.
This article is published for information only. Mazzeschi does not handle subordinate work applications under the Decreto Flussi.
