The Italian government has announced a cap of 450,000 work authorizations for nationals outside the European Economic Area (EEA) for 2023-2025.

‌Key Points:

• A quota of 136,000 work authorizations has been set for 2023. Applications will be accepted from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31.
• A quota of 82,550 of this year’s work authorizations will be in the agriculture and tourism-hotel sectors for certain nationalities.
• The remainder of this year’s authorizations, 53,450, are designated for nonseasonal work in the sectors of freight transportation on behalf of third parties, construction, hospitality and tourism, mechanics, telecommunications, food, shipbuilding, fishing, hairdressing, transportation of passengers by bus, electrician work and plumbing.

Background: The Italian government published a decree on Sept. 27 authorizing the quotas for the three-year period 2023-2025. The decree capped the non-EEA work authorizations at 151,000 for 2024 and 165,000 for 2025. For both years, applications will be accepted starting in early to mid-February until the end of the year. Employers are encouraged to take note of the quotas and plan their international recruiting and hiring programs accordingly.