Finding Work in Italy

If you’re considering moving abroad or travelling the world and you want to pay your way, Italy is one nation where British and EU citizens could consider starting out because such citizens can find work relatively easily and take up employment without the requirement of a work permit or special visa.

If you herald from any other nation you will need a working visa or permit to work in Italy, and information about how you apply and criteria you must meet can be obtained from your nearest Italian consulate or embassy.  If you’re interested in finding work in Italy, in this article we look at some of the alternatives available to you.

If you’re seeking relatively casual, seasonal or unskilled work you will face local competition unless you decide to work as an au pair for example or take your skiing skills or your bar work trade to the winter or summer resorts frequented by international holidaymakers.  The advantage of jobs such as these is that they are often cash paid, you may need to speak relatively little Italian to get by, and you can take a job for a season before moving on – either within Italy or elsewhere abroad. 

If you’re seeking a professional position or you would even like to work as a self-employed person in Italy then things are more complicated naturally, and competition is more intense.  First things first, it’s highly likely that you will need to have a strong command of the Italian language unless you’re going to be working at a senior level for an international firm perhaps.  But even so, if you intend to enter the Italian workplace it makes sense that you speak Italian otherwise how else will you communicate with co-workers for example.

Some areas of Italy have greater employment opportunities than others – if you want to move to Italy but your relocation is dependent on you finding a job, please take significant time to do due diligence and research into the likelihood of you finding sufficient paying employment before you make the commitment to relocate.

You can apply for work before living in Italy – and jobs can be sought through newspapers, online, through employment agencies or by directly applying to potentially appropriate employers.  Remember, the more you can demonstrate that you are committed to relocation, that you have made significant effort to learn to speak Italian and the more you can show how your skills and experience make you a strong candidate for the job than even a local person with similar skills, the greater the chance you have of finding work in Italy.

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