EU Blue Card – Work Permit for highly qualified workers to work in Italy

Sep 13, 2022

The EU Blue card is a work permit for highly qualified workers to work in Italy. It can be applied for at any time of the year, as it is not subject to the limitations of the immigration quotas.

---

Background

In order to work in Italy, NON-EU citizens must obtain work authorization.

Immigration for work purposes in Italy is based on a quota-system which is fixed annually by means of a Decree – the so-called “decreto-flussi“. The decree sets the numerical limits (quota) for each category of foreign nationals allowed to apply for a work permit and the period during which applications can be submitted. Work permits are normally granted on a first come, first served basis.

Extra Quotas Admissions

Several categories of workers are excluded from the cap and are not subject to a fixed limit, such as ICT assignments, highly qualified workers, executives or managerial employees assigned to the Italian branch of a foreign legal entity, university lecturers and professors, translators and interpreters, professional nurses, researchers, etc.

The EU Blue Card is one of the extra quota work permit for non-EU highly specialized workers to work in Italy. It can be applied for at any time of the year, as it is not subject to the limitations of the immigration quotas.

EU Blue Card Work Permit Requirements

The EU Blue card (Carta Blu UE – Art. 27-quater of Italian Immigration law) is a work permit for non-EU highly skilled workers to work in Italy. To obtain the work permit, the applicant shall meet the requirements below:

1. Be able to provide a higher education qualification: In order to be eligible, the foreign worker must be in possession of an academic degree awarded on completion of a University course of at least 3 years’ duration and, if required, of the necessary professional qualifications (if the position offered is for a regulated profession). The degree must be validated by the Italian Consulate in the country where it was issued (Declaration of Value – Dichiarazione di Valore).
2. Have a valid work contract or job offer: the applicant shall have a valid work contract to work in Italy or a binding job offer from an employer based in Italy.
3. Be offered a high-level job position in Italy: The position offered in Italy must be for a highly qualified position, falling within Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 of Italian Institute of statistic jobs classification ISTAT CP 2011.
4. Salary in Italy meets the EU Blue card salary requirement: The salary offered must not be lower than 3 times the minimum wage to be exempted from national health care contributions i.e. € 24789.

EU Blue Card Work Permit Application Procedure

Even though there may be slight variations from one category to the other, the basic procedure for obtaining a work permit is the following:

1. Work permit (Nulla Osta) Online application, filed by the Italian employer/host company;
2. Work Visa (Visto) application, filed by the worker at the Italian Consulate which has jurisdiction over his place of residence.
3. Entry into Italy, within 8 days the worker must go to the local Immigration Office (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione), sign the contract of stay (contratto di soggiorno) and/or file the application for the residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
4. Obtain the EU Blue Card Residence permit (Permesso di soggiorno Carta Blu UE). The Police issues an EU Blue Card residence permit (Permesso di soggiorno Carta Blu UE) valid for 2 years for open-end work contracts or for the validity of the contract plus 3 months, in case of a fixed term job contract.

[last updated date – June 2019]

---

We can assist clients with every step of the process, from the work permit (Nulla Osta) application with the Immigration Office (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione) until the collection of the residence permit. Contact us for a free quote, we would be delighted to help you reach your targets and goals.