Italy Working

Nowhere does money grow on trees (though Let’s Go ’s researchers aren’t done looking), but there are still some pretty good opportunities to earn a living and travel at the same time. As with volunteering, work opportunities tend to fall into two categories. Some travelers want long-term jobs that allow them to integrate into a community, while others seek out short-term jobs to finance the next leg of their travels. In Italy, short-term work in agriculture, the service sector, and tourism is the easiest to come by. Though job hunters must navigate the inevitable challenge of Italy’s soaring unemployment rates and the premium that Italian employers place on both practical experience and advanced degrees, take heart: with a little research in advance, long-term opportunities are not out of the realm of possibility. Transitions Abroad (www.transitionsabroad.com) offers updated online listings for work over any time span.

Check out weekly job listings in Corriere della Sera ’s “Corriere Lavoro” (online at trovolavoro.it) or Il Sole 24 Ore ’s “Cercolavoro Giovani,” which specializes in listings for recent university graduates. GoAbroad.com (www.internabroad.com/Italy.cfm) has a user-friendly online database of internship listings in Italy. Youth Info Centers Informagiovani (www.informagiovani-italia.com) in each region target both Italians and visitors and offer free information on work regulations, employment trends, volunteer programs, and study opportunities. Note that working abroad often requires a special work visa.

More Visa Information. Working legally in Italy as a foreigner is a bureaucratic challenge regardless of your nationality. EU passport holders do not require a special visa to live or work in Italy. They do require a permit to stay (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro), which grants permission to remain in Italy for the duration of employment . To obtain a permesso di soggiorno , EU citizens must register at the local police headquarters (questura) within eight days of arrival for a permit to search for work (ricevuta di segnalazione di siggiorno). Non-EU citizens seeking work in Italy must possess an Italian work permit ( autorizzazione al lavoro in Italia ) before entering the country. Only a prospective employer can begin the process, guaranteeing that the individual has been offered a position. Permits are authorized by the Provincial Employment Office and approved by the police headquarters before being forwarded to the employer and prospective employee. The prospective employee must then present the document, along with a valid passport, in order to obtain a work visa. Non-EU citizens must also obtain both the permesso di soggiorno and a workers’ registration card— libretto di lavoro —which will function as an employment record for up to ten years. Visit the Italian Ministry of Foreign Afffairs website (www.esteri.it) or the US Embassy site (http://italy.usembassy.gov) for more information.

Long-Term Work

If you’re planning on spending a substantial amount of time (more than 3 months) working in Italy, search for a job well in advance. International placement agencies are often the easiest way to find ...more

Short-Term Work

Believe it or not, traveling for long periods of time can be hard on the wallet. Many travelers try their hand at odd jobs for a few weeks at a time to help pay for another month or two of touring around ...more