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. Education/professional experience required for unregulated professions:
   • 3 years University-level degree or
   • Post-secondary professional qualification of at least 3 years or
   • 5 years of professional experience in the sector relevant to the job offer or
   • 3 years of professional experience (acquired in the previous 7 years) for managers and specialists working in the field of information and communication technologies
2. Have a valid work contract or job offer: the applicant shall have a valid job offer (min. 6 months) 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: Annual salary offered cannot be lower than that established by the national collective agreements 

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.

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.

Giuditta Petreni

Giuditta Petreni has over 10 years of experience in assisting companies and business investors with relocation of managers and staff to Italy. Giuditta has extensive experience advising corporate and private clients on a full range of Italian immigration categories. She is fluent in Italian and English.

Related posts:

Italy: Implementation of Directive (EU) 2021/1883 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment (EU Blue Card)  Blue Card – visas for highly skilled workers Changes to EU Blue Card permit: much ado about nothing? Italy: Fast-Track Immigration Process for Highly Skilled Work Permit Applications