Asan Tata— October 26, 2026Italy has set aside a special job quota for Pakistani workers. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, 10,500 Pakistanis can work in Italy over three years — around 3,500 every year. The jobs cover farms, hotels, hospitals, factories and more.
But there is one rule many people get wrong: you cannot apply on your own. An Italian employer must apply for you first. This guide explains the full process, step by step.
Quick Answer
You cannot apply directly. A real employer in Italy must offer you a job first. The employer then applies online for your work authorisation, called a nulla osta, on a fixed click day. If approved, you apply for a work visa at the Italian embassy, complete the protector formalities, and travel. After you reach Italy, you apply for a residence permit within eight working days. Anyone who asks you to pay for a quota place, or shares a direct apply link for workers, is running a scam.
What Is the Decreto Flussi?
Italy does not let most non-EU workers simply apply for a work visa. Instead, the government fixes a yearly quota of workers who may enter for jobs. This quota system is called the Decreto Flussi, or “flows decree”.
The current decree covers 2026 to 2028. It was issued on 2 October 2025 and published in Italy’s Official Gazette. For 2026, Italy allowed 164,850 workers from all non-EU countries combined, of which 88,000 places were for seasonal work. Across all three years together, the decree allows 497,550 entries in total.
Please do not mix up the two numbers. The figure of 164,850 is the total for the whole world in one year. Pakistan’s reported share is 10,500 workers over three years. Places are given in the order applications arrive, and when a category fills up, it closes.
Pakistan’s Quota: 10,500 Jobs Over Three Years
Pakistan and Italy have signed a memorandum of understanding on migration and labour mobility. Under it, Pakistan’s expected share is around 3,500 workers a year. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis says this splits into 1,500 seasonal jobs and 2,000 non-seasonal jobs each year. The final number in any year depends on the quota notice Italy issues for that year.
The jobs are not limited to one trade. Sectors named by the ministry include shipbreaking, hospitality, healthcare and agriculture, plus construction, manufacturing, transport, logistics, food processing and fishing. Roles include welders, technicians, chefs, waiters, housekeeping staff, nurses, medical technicians and farm workers.
Two points are important. First, Italian employers choose the workers; Pakistani authorities do not select who receives a permit. Second, a joint committee in Pakistan will watch over the programme. It includes the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, and the Overseas Employment Corporation. Job demands from Italy will be checked under Pakistan’s emigration rules.
Who Can Apply?
You can be considered for this route if:
- You are a Pakistani citizen living outside Italy.
- A genuine employer in Italy is willing to hire you.
- Your job fits one of the sectors and categories in the decree.
- Your personal details match your passport exactly.
There is no general education requirement for most of these jobs. Skilled trades need proof of skill, such as certificates or experience. Nurses and medical staff may need recognised qualifications. Without a real Italian employer, there is no application at all.
Seasonal and Non-Seasonal Jobs Explained
Seasonal work
Seasonal jobs are linked to a season. Most are in farming, such as fruit and vegetable harvests. Others are in hotels and tourism during the busy months. The contract runs for a fixed period, and when the season ends, the worker returns home. Workers who did seasonal work in Italy legally in the past five years can qualify for a multi-year authorisation, which lets them return in later seasons with less paperwork.
Non-seasonal work
Non-seasonal jobs are regular, longer-term jobs in construction, factories, warehouses, restaurants, care work and health services. The permit follows the work contract. These places are fewer than seasonal places, so competition is stronger. For Pakistan, the reported split is 2,000 non-seasonal places a year, against 1,500 seasonal.
How to Apply, Step by Step
Step 1: Find a genuine Italian employer
Everything starts with a real job offer from Italy. The employer must be a registered business, farm, hotel or family allowed to hire staff. Keep your passport valid and your details ready. The employer will need your full name, date of birth and passport number, exactly as printed.
Step 2: The employer prepares the application online
Employers file through the Italian Interior Ministry’s services portal, Portale Servizi ALI. For the 2027 quota, pre-filling opened on 23 October 2026 and closes on 7 December 2026. Remember, pre-filling is only preparation. It does not book your place.
Step 3: The employer submits on the click day
Each category has its own click day, and submission opens at 9:00 in the morning, Italian time. For the 2027 round, the dates are 12 January for seasonal farm work, 9 February for seasonal tourism work, 16 February for non-seasonal work, and 18 February for family care work. Places are taken in order of submission. After the click day, applications can still be sent until 31 December 2027, while quota places remain.
Step 4: The immigration office issues the nulla osta
The application goes to the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione, the one-stop immigration office in the province where you will work. The office checks the employer and the job. For non-seasonal jobs, there may also be a check that no suitable local worker is available. If all is in order, the office issues the nulla osta, your work authorisation, and sends it to the embassy or consulate where you will apply.
Step 5: You apply for the work visa
Now it is your turn. Apply for a national work visa, called a Type D visa, at the Italian embassy or consulate for the country where you legally live. Take your nulla osta and documents with you. The standard consular fee for a Type D visa is €116, paid in rupees at the official exchange rate. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount with the embassy or VFS when you book your appointment. Do not delay: the nulla osta for non-seasonal work is valid for six months.
Step 6: Complete the Pakistan departure formalities
If you are leaving from Pakistan, the work visa alone is not enough. Every Pakistani travelling abroad on a work visa must get a Protector of Emigrants stamp from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment. Since 1 January 2026, workers going to European countries on work visas also need a Soft Skills Certificate before the protector; the test is free on the Overseas Employment Corporation website (softskills.oec.gov.pk). The ministry says workers must be told their contract, wages and accommodation terms before leaving Pakistan. Read your contract carefully.
Step 7: Arrive in Italy and apply for your residence permit
The visa lets you enter Italy; it is not your stay permit. Within eight working days of arrival, you and your employer go to the same Sportello Unico office and sign the residence contract, the contratto di soggiorno. You then send the residence permit application, the permesso di soggiorno, through the post office kit given to you. Keep the receipt safe: it is your proof of legal stay until the permit card is ready.
Documents You Will Need
For the visa appointment, the Italian Embassy in Islamabad lists these documents:
- A completed national visa application form
- One recent photograph that meets ICAO standards
- Your passport, original and one photocopy. It must stay valid for at least three months after your visa expires.
- Proof of residence in the embassy’s area. Pakistani citizens show a residence certificate and a copy of their CNIC.
- A flight reservation showing your name, departure city and arrival city
- Medical travel insurance with cover of at least €30,000, valid in Italy and across the Schengen area. Italian embassy work visa checklists require this insurance. Confirm the exact requirement on the current Islamabad embassy checklist before your appointment.
- The nulla osta issued by the Sportello Unico
- The employment contract issued by the Sportello Unico
- A copy of your employer’s identity document or passport
The embassy also sets general rules. Documents issued by Pakistani authorities must bear an apostille. Papers must be in English, or translated into Italian with a certified translation. Most documents stay valid for six months from issue. The embassy can ask for extra documents, so always check its official website before your appointment.
If You Live in the UAE
Many Pakistanis reading this live and work in the UAE. Your position is simple. The quota is by nationality, so it covers Pakistani citizens, but there is no separate UAE quota and no faster UAE route. The employer-first steps are exactly the same. Only the visa office differs: the nulla osta goes to the Italian mission for the country where you legally live, and you apply there. The Islamabad embassy accepts only people who permanently reside in its own area. Before travelling, check with the Bureau of Emigration which Pakistan-side formalities apply to you.
Warning: Italy Job Scams Are Common
This quota news has created a golden chance for fraudsters. Quota places cannot be bought. There is no website where a worker can apply alone. No agent in Pakistan or Italy can book a nulla osta for money.
Protect yourself with these rules:
- Never pay anyone who promises a confirmed Italy job or visa in return for cash.
- Never trust social media posts or videos that share a “direct apply link” for workers. No such link exists.
- Treat any demand letter or contract as unverified until it is checked under Pakistan’s emigration rules.
- If a recruiter in Pakistan is involved, deal only with a promoter licensed by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment. Ask for the licence number and verify it.
- Take information only from official websites: the Italian labour and interior ministries, the Italian embassy, and Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration.
A genuine employer earns money from your work, not from your pocket. If someone asks you to pay a large sum for this quota, walk away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for an Italy job myself, without an employer?
No. This route is employer-first by law. Only an Italian employer can submit the nulla osta application, through the official portal and during the application window. A worker’s own “application” to any agent or website has no value.
How many jobs are reserved for Pakistanis?
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis reports 10,500 work permits over three years, until 2028: an expected 3,500 a year, split into 1,500 seasonal and 2,000 non-seasonal. The exact yearly figure can change with Italy’s official quota notice.
How much does the Italy work visa cost?
The standard consular fee for a Type D national visa is €116. You pay it in rupees at the official exchange rate when you apply. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount with the embassy or VFS when you book your appointment. This official fee is separate from any other cost. Anyone demanding a large extra payment for a job or a quota place is running a scam.
What is a click day?
A click day is the fixed day when employers send applications for one category. Submission opens at 9:00 in the morning, Italian time, and applications are taken in order of arrival. Once the category quota is full, later applications cannot succeed.
I live in the UAE. Can I still be hired under this quota?
Yes. The quota is for Pakistani nationals, and you do not have to live in Pakistan. You still need a genuine Italian employer first. You will apply for the visa at the Italian mission covering your place of legal residence. A UAE residence visa gives no extra quota or priority.
An agent says he can get me a nulla osta for a fee. Should I pay?
No. A nulla osta is issued by an Italian government office on an employer’s request. It is not sold and cannot be bought through an agent. Paying for one is the most common scam in this field.
What must I do in my first week in Italy?
Within eight working days of arrival, go with your employer to the Sportello Unico office, sign the residence contract, and send your residence permit application through the post office. Missing this deadline can put your legal stay at risk.
This article is general information only, based on official announcements available on the date below. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee any job, permit or visa. Quotas, dates and rules can change. Always confirm the latest position on the official websites of the Italian ministries, the Italian embassy, and Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration before you act.
Last Updated: 26 October 2026
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