Skip to content Non-EU citizens entering Italy to work in the domestic sector must hold the appropriate visa and residence permit authorising them to carry out the relevant work activity.
The procedure for hiring non-EU domestic workers, including domestic helpers, caregivers and babysitters, is governed by Italian immigration law.
How can I hire a caregiver who does not reside in Italy?
Italy regulates the entry of non-EU workers through an entry quota system established by the Flows Decree (Decreto Flussi). Under this system, the Italian government sets the maximum number of foreign nationals who may enter Italy for specific work activities.
Non-EU domestic workers can generally be hired through the quota system. Specific out-of-quota procedures are also available for certain categories of workers.
What are the quotas for domestic workers under the Flows Decree?
The Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM) of 2 October 2025, published in Official Gazette No. 240 on 15 October 2025, regulates the admission of non-EU workers to Italy for the 2026–2028 period.
Specific quotas have been allocated to non-seasonal employed workers in the family assistance sector:
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13,600 entries in 2026;
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14,000 entries in 2027;
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14,200 entries in 2028.
Unlike the previous programme, these quotas are reserved exclusively for domestic employment relationships, including domestic helpers, carers and babysitters. Workers employed in the healthcare, social care and private healthcare services sectors fall under the other quotas for non-seasonal employment. Applications for these workers must be submitted using form B2020.
Quotas are distributed at provincial level. The worker’s admission to Italy therefore depends on the availability of a quota in the relevant province.
When can I apply for the Flows Decree (2026–2028)?
The 2026–2028 Flows Decree was published in the Official Gazette on 15 October 2025. For 2026, applications could be pre-filled between 23 October and 7 December 2025, with a further window from 9 to 13 December 2025 to complete and save applications already prepared.
The click day for non-seasonal workers in the family assistance sector took place on 18 February 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Applications are submitted electronically through the Ministry of the Interior’s Portale ALI using the “A-bis in quota” form.
Applications for 2026 may be submitted until 31 December 2026, provided that quotas remain available. The initial allocation of the 13,600 quotas for family assistance workers was distributed among the provinces according to the applications submitted on the click day. Any quotas that remain unallocated may be reassigned in accordance with the applicable rules.
For 2027, the pre-filling period for applications is scheduled from 23 October to 7 December 2026, with a further window from 9 to 13 December 2026 to complete and save applications already prepared. The click day for non-seasonal workers in the family assistance sector (A-bis in quota) is scheduled for 18 February 2027 at 9:00 a.m. Applications may be submitted until 31 December 2027, provided that quotas remain available.
How can I hire a domestic worker directly from abroad?
Article 27(1)(e) of Legislative Decree No. 286/1998 provides for a special out-of-quota procedure for domestic workers who have been employed full-time abroad for at least one year by an Italian or EU citizen residing abroad who is moving to Italy and intends to continue the existing employment relationship.
For this category, the employer may submit the application for work authorisation (nulla osta) at any time of the year, outside the annual entry quotas.
Nulla Osta for domestic work
How to apply for a work authorisation for a non-EU domestic worker
The employer must apply for a work authorisation (nulla osta) through the Ministry of the Interior’s Portale ALI.
Access to the portal requires a digital identity (SPID or CIE). Private employers may submit a maximum of three applications per year under the Flows Decree. This limit does not apply to eligible employers’ organisations, authorised professionals and employment agencies, subject to the applicable requirements.
Employers must also have a certified email address (PEC) registered as their digital domicile in the relevant official registers (INI-PEC or INAD) for communications concerning the application.
When is it possible to apply for the 2026-2028 flows decree?
For the 2026 Flows Decree, applications could be pre-filled between 23 October and 7 December 2025. From 9 to 13 December 2025, applicants could complete and save applications that had already been prepared.
The click day for non-seasonal workers in the family assistance sector took place on 18 February 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Applications are submitted electronically through the Ministry of the Interior’s Portale ALI using the “A-bis in quota” form.
Applications for 2026 may be submitted until 31 December 2026, provided that quotas remain available. The 13,600 entries allocated to the family assistance sector were initially distributed among the provinces according to the applications submitted on the click day. Any quotas that remain unallocated may be reassigned in accordance with the applicable rules.
For 2027, applications may be pre-filled from 23 October to 7 December 2026. A further window, from 9 to 13 December 2026, will allow applicants to complete and save applications already prepared. The click day for non-seasonal workers in the family assistance sector (A-bis in quota) is scheduled for 18 February 2027 at 9:00 a.m. Applications may be submitted until 31 December 2027, provided that quotas remain available.
What documents are necessary to apply?
The employer must submit the application for work authorisation (nulla osta) through the Ministry of the Interior’s Portale ALI and provide the required supporting documents, including:
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Asseverazione: a document certifying compliance with the contractual requirements for hiring a foreign worker. It is issued by authorised professionals or eligible employers’ organisations. It is not required where the application is submitted on behalf of its members by an employers’ organisation that has signed a relevant memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. The applicable exemption for employers with illnesses or disabilities limiting their self-sufficiency must also be considered.
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Evidence of the unavailability of suitable workers already present in Italy: before applying, the employer must follow the applicable procedure through the competent Employment Centre (Centro per l’Impiego) to verify whether suitable workers are available in Italy.
Are exempt from producing the documentation listed above applications submitted by:
- Trade associations.
- Employers who have signed special agreements with the authorities (“protocollo d’intesa”).
What is the procedure for caregivers of older people, persons with disabilities and young children?
For 2026–2028, the experimental channel provided for under Article 2(2) of Decree-Law No. 145/2024, as extended by Decree-Law No. 146/2025 and converted into Law No. 179/2025, allows up to 10,000 entries per year outside the annual quotas for domestic and care workers assisting people aged 80 or over, persons with disabilities and children up to six years of age. Applications must be submitted through employment agencies registered in the relevant sections of the register or employers’ associations that have signed the applicable national collective labour agreement for domestic work.
The employment request may concern assistance for the employer, their spouse, or a relative or relative by marriage within the second degree, even if they do not live together, provided that the person receiving assistance resides in Italy. In the cases provided for under Article 3(3) of Law No. 104/1992, the request may also concern a relative within the third degree. The employer may not hire their spouse or a relative or relative by marriage within the third degree.
The application for work authorisation (nulla osta) is submitted using the specific out-of-quota procedure through the Ministry of the Interior’s Portale Servizi. The relevant application form is the “A-bis fuori quota” form.
What is the procedure for special cases?
For the special cases referred to in Article 27 of the Italian Immigration Act (Legislative Decree No. 286/1998), applications may be submitted outside the annual quotas, using the relevant application form. For domestic workers covered by Article 27(1)(e), the applicable form is Model H (official instructions from the Italian Ministry of the Interior).
In this case, the foreign employment contract must be authenticated by the competent Italian diplomatic or consular representation. The date of authentication must be indicated in the nulla osta application. The employer must then present the original authenticated contract to the Immigration Single Desk (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione) when signing the contract of stay.
Visa and residence permit
Once the nulla osta has been issued, the foreign worker can apply for an entry visa at the competent Italian diplomatic or consular representation.
Within 15 days of entering Italy, the employer and the worker must sign the contract of stay (contratto di soggiorno) digitally, in accordance with the applicable procedure. The worker may also sign the contract by hand. The signed contract must be submitted through the relevant online procedure.
The worker must then apply for a residence permit within the applicable legal deadline.
Visa and residence permit
Once the nulla osta has been issued, the foreign worker can apply for an entry visa at the competent Italian diplomatic or consular representation.
Within 15 days of entering Italy, the employer and the worker must sign the contract of stay (contratto di soggiorno) in accordance with the applicable procedure. The contract is signed digitally, although the worker may also sign it by hand. The signed contract must be submitted through the relevant online procedure.
The worker must then apply for a residence permit within the applicable legal deadline.
What is the duration of the residence permit for domestic work?
The duration of the residence permit for domestic work depends on the type of employment contract. It generally cannot exceed:
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One year for fixed-term employment contracts.
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Two years for permanent employment contracts.
Can a domestic worker change employer?
For foreign workers entering Italy through the specific channel for domestic and care workers assisting older people and persons with disabilities, special rules apply during the first twelve months of effective legal employment in Italy. (https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legge:2024;145~art2-com6-letb&utm)
During this period, workers may carry out only the work activity for which they were authorised. Any change of employer is subject to prior authorisation from the competent Territorial Labour Inspectorate (Ispettorato Territoriale del Lavoro).
After the first twelve months, if the worker receives an offer of another fixed-term or permanent employment contract, a new work authorisation (nulla osta) must be requested from the Single Desk for Immigration (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione), within the applicable entry quotas.
How long is the nulla osta valid?
The validity of the nulla osta depends on the type of employment relationship and the applicable legal provisions.
For employment under Article 22 of the Italian Immigration Act, the nulla osta is valid for up to six months from the date of issue.
For workers entering Italy under the special provisions of Article 27, the duration depends on the specific category of worker and the applicable rules. In certain cases, an extension may be possible.
How much does it cost to apply for employment through the Flows Decree?
When submitting the application for a work authorisation (nulla osta) electronically, the employer must pay a €16 revenue stamp (marca da bollo).
The worker should budget for the following costs:
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€116 for the entry visa for subordinate employment;
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€80.46 for a residence permit valid for more than one year and up to two years, comprising the €50 contribution and €30.46 for the electronic permit card;
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€16 for the revenue stamp required for the residence permit application;
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€30 for the postal service used to submit the residence permit application.
These amounts may be subject to updates by the relevant authorities.
What is the minimum income to hire a domestic worker?
The minimum wage for domestic workers must comply with the applicable domestic work collective bargaining agreement (CCNL). In any case, the remuneration must not be lower than the annual social allowance, which amounts to EUR 7,101.12 in 2026 (EUR 546.24 per month for 13 months).
With regard to the employer’s financial capacity, as specified in the Interministerial Circular of 27 October 2023, the employer’s taxable annual income must be at least EUR 20,000 if the household consists of a single income earner. This threshold increases to EUR 27,000 if the employer’s household includes several cohabiting family members.
The income of the employer’s spouse and relatives up to the second degree of kinship may also be taken into account, even if they do not live in the same household. Certain certified tax-exempt income, such as disability benefits, may also count towards the income requirement, subject to the applicable rules.
An exception applies when the employer is the person requiring assistance and has an illness or disability that limits their self-sufficiency: in this case, no minimum income requirement applies, provided the relevant conditions are met.
For other employment sectors, the employer’s annual income or, where applicable, the company’s or organisation’s turnover must generally be at least EUR 30,000, in accordance with the applicable rules.
What are the penalties for illegal domestic work?
Employers may face administrative penalties for failing to register domestic workers with INPS, reporting employment late, or failing to pay social security contributions.
Employing a foreign worker without the required residence permit, or whose permit has expired without a timely renewal application, has been revoked or has been annulled, is punishable by imprisonment from six months to three years and a fine of EUR 5,000 for each worker employed (Article 22(12) of the Italian Consolidated Immigration Act, or TUI). The penalties are increased by one third to one half in the aggravated cases referred to in Article 22(12-bis), including where more than three workers are employed, the workers are below the minimum working age, or they are subjected to the working conditions specified by law.