The second "click day" began on Tuesday in Italy, in which employers in Italy can submit online applications to hire foreign seasonal workers in the sectors of farming and tourism/hospitality. Employers can submit applications up until March 17.
A total of 42,000 positions are open for foreign workers, in accordance with the most recent quota decree issued by the Italian interior ministry. Applications can be submitted by employers who have an SPID profile for access to online public administration tools, through the website: https://nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it
Eligible countries
Seasonal non-EU employees who are citizens of the following countries can be hired for seasonal work under this program: Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea (Republic of Korea), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Guatemala, India, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, and Ukraine.
As part of the overall 42,000, a total of 1,000 places are reserved for non-EU citizen workers from the countries above who already entered Italy at least once in the previous five years to perform seasonal work. For these particular workers, the employer must submit a request for a multi-year permit for seasonal work.
Agricultural workers
An additional quota of 14,000 is reserved for non-EU workers in the farming sector.Their applications for permission to enter Italy for seasonal work, including for multiple years, must be submitted by the professional organizations of the employers of CIA, Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Copagri, and the Alliance of Cooperatives (Lega cooperative and Confcooperative).
The procedure starts when an Italian or foreign employer legally resident in Italy submits a request for a permit to hire a non-EU worker. Applications can be submitted up until March 17. They will be handled by immigration offices based on the chronological order of their submission.
During the online "click days", the only applications that can be submitted are for the specific worker types included in the Interior Ministry decree.
Importance of migrant workers
Farmers' association Coldiretti said that in a sector that still remains heavily dependent on the contribution of foreign workers, despite the growing interest among Italians, allowing for the entry of non-EU workers into Italy is important for saving crops and guaranteeing food supply amidst the increase in COVID infections.
It said many of the foreign seasonal workers will be employed in farming, where 90% of all employees are temporary.
February 1 marked the second 'click day' this year. The previous one occurred on January 27 when a recruitment drive took place for non-seasonal workers and self-employed workers. This was part of the overall quota for 2022 which covers nearly 70,000 workers in total.
"With the full resumption of farming activities, it is easy to imagine an increase in the lack of necessary workers in the fields at a time when the COVID pandemic has opened up a scenario of uncertainty, hoarding and speculation that is pushing individual states to race for essential goods such as energy and food," stated a spokesperson for Coldiretti.