The Italian Government introduced a new facilitated entry route for descendants of Italian citizens residing abroad who intend to work in Italy as employees.
Introduced in November 2025, the measure is part of the broader application of the 2025 Italian Citizenship Reform (Law No. 74 of May 23, 2025 as discussed in our previous article) – establishing a specific channel for entry outside the annual immigration quotas provided for under Italy’s Immigration Act (L.D. n. 286/1998 – Testo Unico sull’Immigrazione), commonly referred to as the Italy’s annual immigration quota system (Decreto Flussi) – essentially fast tracking access to Italy for descendants of Italian citizens.
Scope of Application
Under the new provisions, nationals of countries that have historically been destinations of significant Italian emigration and are descendants of Italian citizens may enter and reside in Italy for employment purposes (lavoro subordinato), with no generational limits, provided that they are citizens of one of the countries expressly identified by the Decree.
The list of eligible countries was determined on the basis of AIRE data updated as of December 31, 2024, and includes only those countries with more than 100,000 Italian citizens registered with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (AIRE). The countries currently included are:
- United States of America
- Canada
- Australia
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
For now, the measure applies only to the countries listed above. That said, the framework explicitly allows for future extensions through additional implementing decrees.
Entry Procedure for Employee Work Visas
Entry is granted through the ordinary procedure applicable to employee work visas, which is typically subject to annual numerical limits but, in this case, is exempt from quota restrictions.
This category applies exclusively to employees and does not include:
- Freelance or self-employed activities (lavoro autonomo);
- Independent consultancy arrangements;
- Occasional collaborations where the individual independently determines how, when, and where the work is performed.
The competent authority is the so-called “Immigration Desk” (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione (SUI)), which is responsible for the entire procedure relating to the employment of foreign workers under both fixed-term and open-ended employment contracts.
In summary, the Italian employer must apply for a work authorisation (nulla osta) from the competent SUI at the Prefecture. Once the authorization has been issued, the foreign national may apply for an employee work visa (visto di lavoro subordinato) at the competent Italian Consulate. Upon entry into Italy, the individual may then apply for a residence permit for employment purposes.
At present, several operational aspects still require clarification from the Italian authorities, including:
- the availability of specific application forms on the online platform;
- the documentation required to prove Italian descent; (i.e. the dossier prepared for Italian citizenship purposes);
- the evidence needed to demonstrate an employment contract or job offer.
Access to Italian Citizenship by Residence
Descendants of Italian citizens, who enter Italy with an employee visa and reside in Italy with a residency permit (permesso di soggiorno), may qualify for Italian citizenship by residence in Italy.
All ordinary statutory requirements continue to apply, including:
- lawful and continuous residence in Italy;
- Italian language proficiency at B1 level;
- adequate income;
- absence of disqualifying criminal convictions.
Contact Us
If you would like further information, our team at With_Papers can assist with eligibility assessments, documentation review, and guidance on the appropriate immigration and citizenship procedures.
Contact us for professional support and personalised advice — call With_Papers at 917-310-2246 or complete our online contact form.
Article by Giorgia Perteghella – Law Clerk @ With_Papers