Jobs in Italy for Foreign Workers: All Job Types, Pay and How It Really Works (2026)

Many people want to work in Italy. Some jobs need a degree, but many do not. This guide lists the main job types for foreign workers in Italy, what they pay and how the process really works. It helps you choose the right path and stay away from fake offers.

Read this first: you cannot ask for an Italian work visa alone. An employer in Italy must ask for a place for you in the yearly quota, and the places are limited. This guide shows how it really works.

The main jobs for foreign workers in Italy

Farm work	The biggest group. Seasonal places each year
Hotel, kitchen, cleaning	Seasonal work in tourism. Read the guide
Factory and warehouse	In the yearly quota. Read the guide
Truck driver	In the yearly quota. Read the guide
Construction	In the yearly quota. Read the guide
Home care for families	Own places in the quota. Italian needed

See how to apply

How much you can earn

Italy has no legal minimum wage. Pay is set for each sector by a national collective agreement between employers and unions, and your contract must follow it. Most workers get 13 payments a year, and some sectors pay 14. So the right question is not “what is the minimum wage?” but “which agreement and which level are in my contract?”. The employer must tell you.

From your pay, about one tenth goes to social insurance, and income tax comes on top. Seasonal jobs in farming and tourism often come with a room.

If you have a trade

Electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics, carpenters and cooks usually earn more than general workers, and employers look for them first. But a trade is only useful abroad if you can prove it:

Bring your training certificate and letters from past employers, with dates and the work you did.
Some trades, such as electrician and plumber, are regulated. You may need a local licence or an exam before you can work alone.
Photos or a short video of your work can help in an interview.

Which job is right for you?

If you are strong and like clear tasks, look at factory, warehouse and construction work.
If you have a clean licence and driving experience, driver jobs often pay more.
If you like working with people, look at hotel, kitchen and care work.
If you have a trade, apply in your trade first. It is the fastest way to better pay.

What you need before you can work in Italy

Italy lets in a fixed number of workers from outside Europe each year. The law that sets the number is called the Decreto Flussi. For the three years 2026 to 2028 it opens about 497,550 places. For 2027 there are 165,850 places: 89,000 for seasonal work and 76,200 for other work. The steps are:

See how to apply

A job offer from an employer in Italy, in a sector that the quota covers.
The work authorisation (“nulla osta”). The employer asks for it online, on the portal of the Ministry of the Interior. First the employer must check with the public job centre that no worker in Italy is free for the job.
The click day. Requests are sent on fixed days, at 9:00 in the morning. Places are given in the order the requests arrive, so many places are gone in a short time.
The visa. When the authorisation is ready, you ask for the work visa at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country.
After you arrive. You sign the contract of stay within 15 days and ask for your residence permit.

Many places are kept for citizens of countries that have a migration agreement with Italy. The list is published by the Italian ministries, and Kenya was added for the 2027 places. Check the list first. Nobody can promise you a place: it depends on the employer, the sector and the order of the requests.

Costs to plan for

Rent is the biggest cost. It is highest in Milan, Rome, Bologna and Florence, and lower in small towns and in the south. A landlord usually asks for a deposit of two or three months of rent. From your pay, about one tenth goes to social insurance, and income tax comes on top. Seasonal employers in farming and tourism sometimes offer a room, so ask about the price in writing. You pay the visa fee and usually your travel. Learning Italian costs time, but it helps you more than anything else at work.

How to apply safely

Read about the yearly quota on Integrazione Migranti, the Italian government’s portal, and check if your country is on the list.
Look for an employer in a sector the quota covers, such as farming, tourism, building, transport or factories.
Ask the employer to prepare the request before the click day. For the 2027 places, employers could fill in requests from 23 October to 7 December 2026.
Wait for the work authorisation. Do not travel before you have it and the visa.
Ask for the visa at the Italian embassy yourself. After you arrive, sign the contract of stay within 15 days.

These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.

Mistakes to avoid

Applying for every job you see. Choose the two or three job types that fit your experience.
Trusting adverts that promise “visa in 10 days” or “no interview”.
Travelling on a visitor visa to “find work there”. In most countries you cannot work on a visitor visa.
Paying anyone for a job offer.

Your rights as a worker in Italy

You must get a written contract that follows the national collective agreement of your sector.
The normal working week is 40 hours. Extra hours must be paid at a higher rate.
You have at least four weeks of paid holiday a year.
With a contract and a residence permit you can join the public health service.
Work without a contract is common in farming and is against the law. Unions and their help offices, called “patronati”, give free advice to foreign workers.

See how to apply

Protect yourself from fake job offers

Never pay for a work authorisation. Selling a “nulla osta” or a place in the quota is a crime, and many people have lost their money this way.
An agent cannot get a place for you alone. Only a real employer in Italy can send the request.
Be careful with offers that come after the click days and still promise “a sure visa”. Most places are gone fast.
Check that the company exists and that the contract names a real address in Italy.

Questions people ask

Which job is easiest to get in Italy without a degree?

Jobs with many open places and simple training: factory and warehouse work, cleaning, kitchen help and construction labour. Driver and trade jobs pay more but ask for a licence or proof of skill.

Is there an age limit?

You must be an adult. Employers decide who they hire. The visa rules are explained in this guide.

Can I enter Italy as a tourist and then get a work permit?

No. The quota places are for workers who are still in their own country. You wait for the work authorisation and the visa before you travel.

Do I need to speak Italian?

For most factory, building, hotel and driving jobs, yes, at least a basic level. Teams and safety rules are in Italian. Start learning before you apply.

More guides for Italy

Last checked: November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and pay change, so always confirm on the official websites before you decide. We are not a recruiter and we never ask for money.

See how to apply

These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.