Who doesn't know the beautiful Italy with the 'la dolce vita'? It is a beautiful country with a rich Italian culture. The varied landscape with the rugged mountains called the Dolomites in the north, the beautiful nature in Tuscany and the south with the most beautiful coasts in the whole world. That is why more and more Dutch people choose to to emigrate to Italy and to live and work there.
How does moving to Italy work?
Italy is a country within the European Union (EU) and Italy is therefore not very far from the Netherlands. But what is it like to work in Italy? Can you just live in Italy or work in Italy? We will discuss these types of questions and more in this article so that we can help you a little with your plans.
Tax Code
When you are going to live and work in Italy, you can't just walk in somewhere and start working. You still have to arrange a few small things before you can do this. The most important thing is to arrange your 'codice fiscaal'. This is your Italian fiscal number and you can actually compare it to your Dutch citizen service number (BSN).
How do you request the code?
This number is issued by the Italian tax authority. It is called the 'Agenzia delle entrate'. You can walk into any tax office with your passport, a copy of it and your proof of registration. After everything has been checked, you will receive your code the same day.
How to find a job in Italy?
Unemployment in Italy is unfortunately still a lot higher than in the Netherlands, but the Italian economy has grown considerably in recent years. Furthermore, it also depends a lot on where you want to live and work in the country. In the north of Italy, for example, you will find a job faster than in the south. The north of the country and then of course especially in large cities such as Rome or Milan have the most employment. Further south and then actually from a city such as Naples or Florence, although you do have a lot of work in the summer because of the tourists. Don't forget Venice.
Don't you know yet where you're going to live in Italy?
Have you not yet made a choice about where in Italy you would like to live and are therefore not region-bound? Then it might be a good choice for you to work in Northern Italy.
Jobs in Italy
If you still live in the Netherlands and have decided that you want to work in Italy, then it is best to start looking for a job in the Netherlands. Perhaps you can place an advertisement online on websites. On these websites you can also see that Italian companies place many advertisements. These Italian employers therefore appreciate it when you send them an open application. Examples of such websites are Indeed, TiConsiglio and Infojobs.
Networks
There are also many international job sites where you can find the latest vacancies for jobs abroad under the 'jobs menu'. Many Dutch people who temporarily go to work in Italy and are therefore looking for holiday work often find these jobs through personal contacts. Do you often go on holiday to Italy and do you also have family or friends in the country? Then they may be able to help you.
Popular sectors
According to the National Institute in Italy, the best jobs are in tourism and education. Jobs in communications are also very popular.
Do you need a work permit to work in Italy?
Italy is a member state of the EU and therefore you do not have to complete a lot of paperwork before you can start working there. As a member state of another EU country, you do not need a special residence or work permit when you want to work in Italy. Dutch people only need a valid passport. Of course, you do have to register yourself as a resident of the country. You can do this in Italy by filling in a number of forms at the police station.
The minimum wage
Many people do not know that there is no minimum wage in Italy. Employers actually pay you what they want to pay you. If you have the right papers, the necessary experience and good dedication, an Italian employer will want to reward you. Furthermore, it is wise not to start negotiating hard right away during your job interview, because jobs in Italy are scarce and there are 10 others before you.
Working hours
Your working hours will also depend on where in Italy you are going to live. In the south of the country, for example, a working day will start around 09:00 and then you will work until about 13:00. After this, you will have a long break until about 16:00, after which you will have to work again until about 20:00. Further north, working hours are also more similar to those in the Netherlands. Furthermore, it is important to pay close attention to government agencies, because civil servants in Italy often have different working hours.
Taxes in Italy
Of course, you can't avoid it in Italy either. The tax authorities. In Italy, just like in the Netherlands, it is arranged that the more you earn, the more tax you pay. Below is the tax bracket in Italy:
- € 0 – € 15.000 = 23%
- € 15.000 – € 28.000 = 27%
- € 28.000 – € 55.000 = 38%
- € 55.000 – € 75.000 = 41%
- €75,000 and above = 43%
Culture in the Italian workplace
In Italy, there are still many family businesses today. The business is often continued from father to son. The Italians like strong hierarchy and the boss will always make almost all decisions himself in a company. The opinion of employees will not be asked. In large cities where much more business is done with European companies, you see that this is changing more and more, but it is still going very slowly.
Italians are formal, but also sociable
Furthermore, Italians are also much more formal and always use titles when addressing someone. They are also real social animals who like to discuss business during a lunch or dinner. So prepare yourself to eat out often! Personal contact with business partners or staff is very important and Italians like to put energy into getting to know each other. Celebrating agreements and milestones is also common.
Do you need to be able to speak Italian if you want to work in Italy?
Foreigners are always welcome to apply for jobs in Italy. In some international companies, it is not necessary to be able to speak Italian. These companies employ Italians who have taken English lessons at university or have followed a course. Furthermore, there are often many other foreigners who have a good command of the English language. Fortunately, Dutch people often have no problems with the English language either.
Speaking Italian does have its advantages..
Of course, it will work to your advantage if you speak a little Italian. Not only do Italians like this, but it will also make your life outside of your work environment a lot easier. Many Italians still do not speak English very well to this day and you will notice this after moving to Italy.
Your health insurance
Social security in Italy is well organised and so is the health insurance fund. In Italy you have a national health care system called the 'Servizio Sanitaro Nazionale' (SSN). This is financed by taxes. When you start working as an employee, your employer will register you with the SSN and you will automatically be insured. If you are a self-employed person, you will have to do this yourself.
A private health insurance
You can also choose to take out private health insurance in addition to the SSN so that you will have less to deal with long waiting lists. An additional private insurance can be nice, but you are not obliged to take this out.
Start looking for a house in time
To find a house in Italy you can easily use the internet. Here, real estate agents and private individuals place advertisements to which you can respond if you are interested. You can also choose to contact an Italian real estate agent. This will cost you something, but they can assist and help you throughout the entire process.
A small but golden tip:
As a tip, we would like to give you that it is wise to live just outside the big cities. This is due to the high rents in the city centre. Public transport in Italy is very well organised, making it easy to travel to and from work. This will save you a lot of money every month.
Finally..
Have you also decided to work in the land of the Alps, pizza and Lake Garda? Then you are not alone. Try to immerse yourself in the Italian culture in advance and see if you can already apply online in the Netherlands for jobs that appeal to you. That way, you know before you move that you can be sure of a steady income. This is of course always nice.
Do you have any questions?
Do you have any other questions regarding emigration to Italy? Do you have any questions about health insurance or do you want to know what it is like to buy a house there? We discuss these kinds of topics and many more in the other articles on our website. So feel free to take a look around.
