🇮🇹 Hiring in
Italy
What every employer needs to know before hiring in Italy — contracts, payroll setup, social security, and HR compliance obligations.
Key Employment Facts — Italy
Minimum Wage
—
Annual Leave
20 days
Notice Period (min)
15 days
Probation Period (max)
6 days
Maternity Leave
20 weeks
13th Month Pay
Not required
How to Hire in Italy — Step by Step
Verify your hiring structure
Decide whether to hire via a local legal entity, a Professional Employer Organisation (PEO), or an Employer of Record (EOR). An EOR lets you hire in Italy without setting up a local company.
Issue a compliant employment contract
All employees in Italy must receive a written employment contract. It must cover job title, salary, working hours, notice period, and leave entitlements before or on the first day of employment.
Register for payroll and tax
You must register with the relevant Italy tax authority before making any salary payments. Payroll must be run in local currency and employer contributions must be filed on time.
Enrol in social security
Employers in Italy are required to enrol employees in the national social security scheme from day one. Both employer and employee contributions are mandatory.
Run compliant payroll
Pay must meet the statutory minimum wage, be paid on the agreed frequency, and include all mandatory deductions. Keep payslip records for the legally required retention period.
Understand termination rules
Notice periods, severance, and redundancy rules in Italy are governed by employment law. Always seek local legal advice before terminating an employment contract.
Contractor Classification Rules — Italy
How Italy distinguishes employees from independent contractors, and the risks of misclassification.
Classification Test
Collaboration contract (collaborazione) vs employment — Article 2 D.Lgs. 81/2015
Key Classification Factors
- ✓Personal performance of services
- ✓Continuous collaboration
- ✓Heterodirection — client determines time, place, and manner of work
- ✓Integration into organisational structure
- ✓Exclusive or near-exclusive engagement
Misclassification Penalties
Automatic application of employment law (Article 2 D.Lgs. 81/2015). Back-payment of INPS contributions, TFR, paid leave, 13th salary, and all employment entitlements. INAIL penalties. Fines for concealed employment.
Off-Payroll / IR35 Equivalent
Italy has no direct IR35 equivalent. Article 2 D.Lgs. 81/2015 serves an anti-avoidance function for organised collaborations.
Platform Worker Law
Gig platform workers covered under Law 128/2019 (Riders Law) — minimum wage, anti-discrimination, and social security protections for food delivery riders. EU Platform Work Directive (2024) implementation ongoing.
Safe Harbour Criteria
Partita IVA (VAT number) registration, INPS Gestione Separata contribution payment, invoicing, multiple clients, own work tools, freedom to set working hours, no integration into client organisational chart.
Italy's contractor landscape is complex. The co.co.co (collaborazione coordinata e continuativa) regime was significantly restricted by D.Lgs. 81/2015. Partita IVA holders must contribute to INPS Gestione Separata at 26.07% (2024). Economic dependence thresholds: if >80% of income from one client and annual revenue >EUR 25,000, enhanced protections apply under Law 81/2017 (autonomous worker protections).
Work Permits — Italy
Main visa and work permit routes for hiring foreign nationals in Italy.
EU Blue Card (Carta Blu UE)
Processing
30–60 days
Validity
48 months
Cost
Varies
Sponsor Needed
Yes
For highly qualified non-EU workers. Minimum salary EUR 26,000/year (lower than other EU states — making Italy attractive). Employment contract of at least 1 year required. No quota restrictions for Blue Card applicants. University degree or 5 years equivalent professional experience required.
Official source ↗ICT Permit (Trasferimento IntraSocietario)
Processing
30–60 days
Validity
36 months
Cost
Varies
Sponsor Needed
Yes
For non-EU employees transferred within a multinational to an Italian entity. Manager, specialist, or trainee categories. No quota restrictions. Employer must demonstrate qualifying corporate relationship between sending and receiving entities. Valid up to 3 years for managers/specialists, 1 year for trainees.
Official source ↗Decreto Flussi — Seasonal/Non-Seasonal Work Permit
Processing
60–120 days
Validity
24 months
Cost
Varies
Sponsor Needed
Yes
Italy operates a quota system (Decreto Flussi) — annual decree sets the number of work permits available by nationality and sector. Employers must apply within the quota window (typically January-February). Non-seasonal quota for 2024: 151,000 permits. Highly competitive — applications often exhausted within hours of opening.
Official source ↗EOR Intelligence
Skip the entity setup — hire via EOR in Italy.
An Employer of Record handles all local compliance on your behalf.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or HR advice. Employment law in Italy is subject to change. Always consult a qualified local employment lawyer before hiring.
About This Guide
- ✓ Sourced from official government publications
- ✓ Updated monthly — always current rules
- ✓ For guidance only — not legal advice
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