Working in South Tyrol: info for your career

Work permits

Do I need a permit to work in Italy?

Non-EU citizens who would like to work in Italy need an Italian work permit called nulla osta al lavoro and a residence permit for work purposes. They can enter and work in Italy through a quota-based system according to which the Italian government decides the number of work permits issued to non-EU applicants annually by decree (Decreto Flussi). Due to a high demand for seasonal workers from non-EU countries, every year the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen requests the approval of a quota for South Tyrol from the competent Ministry in Rome.

For more information please visit:
Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen – South Tyrol, labour market department

Highly qualified workers from non-EU countries, on the other hand, may be able to enter Italy without having to go through the quota system. To do so, the prospective employer in Italy must submit an application in advance using the official online platform (link?). Successful applications will receive a so-called EU Blue Card authorising highly skilled workers to work in Italy. During the first two years, they are bound to the employment for which the application was submitted, after which they can apply for other high-qualification jobs.

For more information on the entry and residence of highly skilled workers from non-EU countries and EU Blue Cards, please visit
Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen – South Tyrol, labour market service

Employment contract - Work in South Tyrol

Work contracts

What types of employment contracts are there in Italy?

In Italy, employment contracts can generally be agreed verbally or in writing. If the employment contract is concluded verbally, the employer must inform the employee of the place and time of work, the start and duration of the employment relationship, their classification and remuneration as determined by collective bargaining as well as any applicable collective agreements.

Fixed-term employment contracts must always be concluded in writing, otherwise they are considered to be for an indefinite period. In fact, under Italian law, standard employment contracts are open-ended.
Contracts can be for full-time or part-time employment. They may have vocational training as their objective and content or may provide for part of the work to be carried out in a place other than the company premises (hybrid work).
When evaluating a job offer in South Tyrol, in addition to the gross annual salary we recommend also taking into account non-monetary elements contained in the contract, such as meal or petrol vouchers and other benefits provided by the employer.

Support for the workforce

Four major workers’ organisations (trade unions) represent the interests and concerns of workers in South Tyrol: CGIL (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro), CISL (Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori), UIL (Unione Italiana del Lavoro) und ASGB (Autonomer Südtiroler Gewerkschaftsbund).

In addition to trade unions, there are other social organisations that support workers and pensioners in matters of labour law, public welfare, pensions etc., such as the Catholic Workers’ Association KVW (Katholischer Verband der Werktätigen).

Italian bureaucracy can be very complex – so-called patronages (patronato/Patronat) can offer valuable support: A patronato is an institution recognised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies which, in close cooperation with the Italian social insurance agency INPS/NISF (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale/Nationales Institut für Soziale Fürsorge), helps citizens especially in social and welfare matters. They also provide advice on issues related to pensions, unemployment benefits, family support, health care and much more.

For more information please visit:
Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen – South yrol, ASSE/ASWE

Income tax

How is income taxed in Italy?

In Italy, the income of natural (as opposed to legal) persons is subject to IRPEF taxation (Imposta sul Reddito delle Persone Fisiche/Einkommenssteuer natürlicher Personen), which is applicable to anyone either resident in Italy and/or earning income in Italy. It is applied progressively in a total of four taxation rates. There are both tax allowances that reduce the tax base (e.g. donations to non-profit associations etc.) and deductions that reduce the net tax (e.g. medical expenses etc.).

Tax incentives for working in Italy

What tax incentives are there to move or return to Italy for work?

In an effort to combat so-called “brain-drain” of skilled workers, in recent years Italy has introduced a number of tax incentives aimed at encouraging the return of Italians working abroad and attracting new people from abroad.

Named rientro dei cervelli or “brain return”, the scheme consists of temporary tax relief on income received from employment or self-employment in Italy.

While this scheme is very attractive, it is essential to check in advance whether you meet the necessary requirements with the help of a tax expert.

If you would like to learn more about Rientro Cervelli, click here to watch our webinar.

For more information please visit:
Agenzia delle Entrate/Agentur der Einnahmen

Study title recognition - Work in South Tyrol

Recognition of academic and professional qualifications

Is your academic qualification valid in Italy?

You can request to have your foreign degree recognised, i.e. have its equivalence to an academic qualification from an Italian university certified.

This applies to both EU and non-EU citizens and can only be done at an Italian university that offers the same or a similar study course.

For more information please visit:
Ministry of university and research (Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca)

Students from South Tyrol who have acquired a degree in Austria can benefit from a simplified recognition procedure, which is based on a bilateral agreement between Italy and Austria guaranteeing native German speakers the right to study in their mother tongue.

Austrian degrees can be officially recognised through the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.

For more information please visit:
Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Is your professional qualification valid in Italy?

The principle of free movement of persons and services within the European Union grants EU citizens the opportunity to exercise their (regularly employed or self-employed) profession in EU member states different to the one in which they acquired their professional qualification.

Recognising a professional qualification in order to exercise a profession is only necessary if the activity in question is regulated by the laws of the country of destination, in this case Italy.

Professional work carried out abroad can also be recognised as a professional qualification.
More information is available at the
Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen – South Tyrol, department of industry, trade and crafts
at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy)

Public holiday

What public holidays are there in Italy?

In Italy, public holidays tend to be Catholic ones. In addition, there are some national holidays such as Liberation Day (25 April), Labour Day (1 May) and Republic Day (2 June). Offices and shops usually remain closed on public holidays.

At a glance:

01.01. New Year’s Day
06.01. Epiphany
Easter Monday
25.04. Liberation Day
01.05. Labour Day
Whit Monday (only in South Tyrol)
02.06. Republic Day
15.08. Assumption Day
01.11. All Saints’ Day
08.12. Immaculate Conception
25.12. Christmas Day
26.12. Saint Stephen’s Day

Self-employment

How to get started

Anyone considering starting a business or becoming self-employed in South Tyrol should first check whether certain professional requirements need to be met in order to carry out the activity in question.

Citizens of EU member states can become self-employed in Italy. With regard to setting up a business, they are on an equal footing with Italian citizens.

Non-EU citizens can start a business in Italy if they have a work visa for self-employment and a work permit (nulla osta) certifying their financial means.

Information on how to set up a business is available from the business start-up service at the Bolzano/Bozen Chamber of Commerce.

For more information please visit:
Bolzano/Bozen Chamber of Commerce, business start-up service

Looking for employment

Still looking for the right job in South Tyrol?

For a quick overview of vacancies, check the eJob platform eJob – post and find work all over South Tyrol civis.bz.it provided by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen – South Tyrol.
More job offers are available at Jobs in South Tyrol | suedtirolerjobs.it®.

In addition, a number of recruitment agencies can provide information on openings and place job seekers:

The platform Youkando.it offers insights into typical South Tyrolean occupations.