Entry Flows Italy: the three-year planning decree for 2026-2028 is published on the Official Gazette

The decree on migration flows for the three-year period 2026-2028 is now published on the Official Gazette.

The decree establishes the maximum number of entries allowed into Italy for foreign workers, the criteria for access, and the procedure for submitting applications. Applications are evaluated in order of arrival and must be accompanied by all the required documentation.

Overall quotas

The decree of October 2nd 2025, published on the Official Gazette No. 249 of October 15th 2025, establishes the overall entry quotas for foreign workers for the three-year period 2026-2028.

The overall quotas for the three-year period 2026-2028 will be 497.550. There is therefore an increase compared to the quotas set for the previous three-year period, as already announced during the decree preliminary approval.

The following quotas of foreigners are admitted to Italy for seasonal and non-seasonal employment and self-employment:

• 164.850 foreign citizens residing abroad for the year 2026
• 165.850 foreign citizens residing abroad for the year 2027
• 166.850 foreign citizens residing abroad for the year 2028

The quotas were determined taking into account the needs of the social parties and the number of applications actually submitted in recent years. The aim was therefore to define a plan that reflects the real businesses need. In this way, the aim was to guarantee the labor force that is indispensable to the national economic and productive system and otherwise unavailable.

Specific criteria for determining entry quotas

Through its articles 3 and 4, the decree of October 2nd, 2025, also defines the specific criteria that have been used to determine the in-quota and out-of-quota entries.

For what concerns in-quota entries, the following aspects have been considered:

1. Provision of preferential quotas for workers from countries that promote media campaigns on the risks of irregular migration, in collaboration with Italy.
2. Maintenance of a specific quota for the family assistance sector.
3. Provision for entry for self-employment of workers who have at least one ascendant up to the third degree who is Italian or a former Italian citizen and who are resident in Venezuela or in one of the other countries identified by the decree referred to in Article 27, paragraph 1-octies, of the Consolidated Immigration Act.

For what concerns out-of-quota entries, the following specific criteria have been considered:

1. Encouraging an increase of out-of-quotas admissions.
2. Provision for admissions for employment, including seasonal work, of citizens from countries with which Italy has signed repatriation agreements or arrangements.
3. Strengthening vocational and civic-linguistic education and training activities organized in countries of origin and the consequent increase in admission of foreign workers, stateless persons, and refugees who have completed such activities.
4. Enhancing the value of study and vocational training courses for foreign citizens in Italy, also through the conversion of study-work out-of-quota applications.
5. Promotion of entries for non-seasonal employment in the family care sector for persons with disabilities or the elderly.

Quotas for seasonal work

Within the overall quotas, citizens of countries applying cooperation agreements with Italy shall be admitted for seasonal employment in the agricultural and hotel tourism sectors, within the following quotas:

• 88.000 units for the year 2026
• 89.000 units for the year 2027
• 90.000 units for the year 2028

Quotas for subordinate non-seasonal work and self-employment

Within the overall quotas, foreign nationals residing abroad are admitted for non-seasonal subordinate employment in the sectors of agriculture, forestry and fishing; food, beverage and tobacco industries; textiles, clothing and footwear industries; metallurgical and metal product industries; other industries; construction; wholesale and retail trade; accommodation and food services; tourism services; transport, logistics and storage services; operational support services for businesses and individuals; health, social assistance and private health services; other services  and for self-employment.

They are admitted within the following limits:

• 76.850 units for year 2026, of which 76.200 for non-seasonal, subordinate work and 650 for self-employment
• 76.850 units for year 2027, of which 76.200 for non-seasonal, subordinate work and 650 for self-employment
• 76.850 units for year 2028, of which 76.200 for non-seasonal, subordinate work and 650 for self-employment.

Within the above quotas, some units are allocated on a preferential basis to certain categories of citizens. These include:

• Citizens from countries that apply cooperation agreements with Italy – Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea (Republic of Korea) Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Egypt, El  Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia,  Georgia,  Ghana, Japan, Jordan, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova,  Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri  Lanka,  Sudan, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
• Citizens from countries that will apply cooperation agreements with Italy during the three-year period 2026-2028
• Workers of Italian origin on at least one side of their family up to the third degree in direct line
• Stateless persons or refugees
• Non-seasonal workers in family care

With regards to entry for self-employment, for each year of 2026, 2027 and 2028, the entry into Italy within the above-mentioned quotas is allowed to No. 500 foreign citizens residing abroad, belonging to the following categories:

1. entrepreneurs who intend to implement an investment plan of interest to the Italian economy, involving the use of own resources of no less than €500,000, as well as the creation of at least three new jobs
2. freelancers who intend to practice regulated or supervised professions, or unregulated but nationally represented professions
3. holders of corporate offices of administration and control expressly provided for in Decree No. 850 of May 11, 2011
4. artists of clear reputation or high and well-known professional qualification, hired by public or private entities, having the requirements expressly provided for in Decree No. 850 of May 11, 2011
5. foreign nationals who intend to establish “innovative start-up” enterprises under Law No. 221 of December 17, 2012, in presence of the requirements provided by the same law and who hold an employment relationship of a self-employed nature with the enterprise.

Clickday

The click-day system and pre-filled online applications will also be confirmed for the three-year period 2026-2028.

The decree sets the click-days for each year as follows:

• January 12 for seasonal agricultural workers
• February 9 for seasonal tourism workers
• February 16 for non-seasonal employees in various sectors, self-employed workers of Italian origin, and stateless persons
• February 18 for non-seasonal employees in the family care sector

Employers will be able to fill out applications before the click day, during a period that will be defined, along with other implementing provisions, by a joint circular from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and other ministries involved. This circular will also provide guidance on the documentation required for employers to demonstrate that they have completed the verification process at the relevant employment center.

Quotas allocation

The quotas will be allocated at territorial level by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies in line with the analysis of labor market needs and according to the indications of the territorial labor inspectorates, regions and autonomous provinces.

If, fifty days after the dealine for submitting applications, the authorities find that a significant number of quotas have not been used, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies may consider a different allocation based on actual needs.