What is this permit?
The residence permit for job seeking allows you to remain in Italy even if you don't have or no longer have an employment contract. It is generally issued
- to foreign workers who have lost their job and are looking for new employment
- to unaccompanied foreign minors who have reached 18 years of age without having stable employment
- to foreign students who have graduated in Italy and have not yet found a job
How do I apply for a residence permit for job seeking?
You can apply for this permit if you are in one of these three situations:
- You have a residence permit for self-employment or employed work but you cannot renew it because you lost your job (dismissal or resignation) or your self-employment activity ended
- You have a permit for study and you graduated in Italy (degree, master's, doctorate) but have not yet found work. In these cases it is advisable to convert first to job seeking and then to work. It is more difficult to go directly from a study permit to a work permit
- You have a permit for minor age and you want a little more time to find a job
⚠️ Warning: if you have never had another residence permit, you cannot apply for a job seeking permit in Italy. To be clear: you cannot come to Italy without a visa or with a tourist visa, and then look for work with a job seeking permit.
👉 How do you apply for this permit?
- If your permit is about to expire: send the application with the postal kit before expiration
- If your permit has already expired: go directly to the Police Headquarters (Questura) and request an appointment
What do you need to do before applying for the permit?
1. Register with the Employment Center
- Go to the nearest Employment Center
- Declare yourself available to work (even in a job different from what you did before)
- They will give you a registration certificate as a person seeking work
To register with the Employment Center you need
- Tax code
- Valid residence permit (or expired but with a renewal receipt)
- Valid identity document
How much does it cost?
The total cost is 116,46€:
- 30,46€ for the electronic permit
- 30€ to send the postal kit
- 40€ for the permit issue
- 16€ for the revenue stamp
How long does this permit last?
The permit usually lasts 1 year and according to Police Headquarters (Questura) it CANNOT be renewed.
✅ What rights does it give me? What do I have access to?
With this permit you can:
- Work (self-employment or employed work)
- Register with the National Health Service (NHS-SSN) and have a general practitioner
- Apply for residency
What happens when it expires?
If you find a job: you can change the permit to a work permit (self-employment or employed work), with postal kit
If you don't find work: before expiration, seek qualified legal help