Decree-Law No. 145/24, converted with amendments by Law No. 187/24, has experimentally provided for the entry of 10,000 foreign workers in 2025 to be employed in the family and social healthcare assistance sector, exclusively for elderly individuals of advanced age or persons with disabilities. These entries are in addition to the 9,500 quotas already allocated by the flow decree to the family assistance sector but follow a different procedure.

What is meant by "elderly individuals of advanced age"? And by "persons with disabilities"?

According to Legislative Decree No. 29/24, a "person of advanced age" is an individual who has reached the age of 80. According to Legislative Decree No. 62 of May 3, 2024, a person with a disability is an individual with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder full and effective participation in different aspects of life on an equal basis with others. Recognition of a disability status grants protections proportional to the level of disability, with priority given to disabilities requiring intensive support.

What is the procedure for hiring a foreign worker for the care of an "elderly individual of advanced age" or a person with a disability?

The employer (whether an individual or a legal entity) must necessarily contact an Employment Agency duly registered in the digital register referred to in Article 4, paragraph 1, letters a), b), and c) of Legislative Decree No. 276 of September 10, 2003, or an employer association that is a signatory of the National Collective Labor Agreement for the domestic sector. Only these intermediaries are authorized to collect and submit, on behalf of employers, applications for work authorization for the 10,000 workers permitted to enter Italy under the experimental scheme established by Decree-Law 145/2024.

Can the employer only be the assisted person, or can a relative also hire the worker?

Applications for employment can be submitted for assistance to oneself, one's spouse, or a relative or in-law up to the second degree, even if they do not live together, provided they reside in Italy. If the assisted person is a disabled individual requiring "intensive support," a relative up to the third degree of kinship may also hire the worker. However, the spouse or a relative/in-law up to the third degree of kinship is not allowed to be the employer.

Which employer associations have signed the current national collective labor agreement for the domestic sector?

The National Collective Agreement governing domestic labor relationships has been signed by ASSINDATCOLF, Nuova Collaborazione, Adlc, and Adld (all federated under FIDALDO) and by Domina (National Association of Families Employing Domestic Workers).

How is the work authorization application submitted? Which form should be used?

The application form to be used on the ALI Services Portal is called "A-BIS," the same one used for family or social healthcare assistance applications under the flow decree. However, only employment agencies (APLs) or the aforementioned employer associations will be able to see, within the fields of the A-BIS form (specifically in the "productive sector" field of the "residence contract" section), the option related to "elderly individuals of advanced age/disabilities." In the "employer - individual/legal representative" section, they will also see a field for indicating the degree of kinship between the assisted person and the employer. A "private user" accessing the ALI Services Portal will not be able to view these fields related to "elderly individuals of advanced age/disabilities."

Is there a "click day" for submitting these applications?

The submission of these applications began with the "click day" on February 7, 2025, but there are still available slots, and applications can continue to be submitted throughout 2025.

Can an application be submitted for a worker to assist an autonomous or partially autonomous elderly person (with 60-70% disability)?

Yes, it is possible. According to Legislative Decree 29/2024, elderly individuals of advanced age are simply those over 80, regardless of whether they are self-sufficient or not.

Can an application be submitted for a worker to assist a non-autonomous person with a disability that is not certified under Law 104?

No. If a person is non-autonomous but has not been officially recognized as disabled, the application can only be submitted under the regular quotas for domestic work.

Is a minimum income required for the employer under this procedure?

The circular of October 24, 2024, reaffirmed that proof of income is not required if the employer is affected by conditions or disabilities that limit their autonomy and is submitting a work authorization request for a worker to assist them. These applications can also be submitted by an individual member of the employer's household. Regarding this aspect, there are no specific differences compared to the income requirements for hiring a domestic worker under the regular quota system (see relevant FAQs).

What happens after submitting the application? What procedure applies?

The processing of these applications follows all the provisions outlined in Article 22 of Legislative Decree No. 286/98 (Consolidated Immigration Act), with the exception that the application for work authorization is not automatically approved if no response is received within 60 days ("silent consent" does not apply). Instead, the employer must wait for checks by the Police Headquarters and the Territorial Labor Inspectorate to verify compliance with legal requirements.

What type of residence permit is issued to workers admitted under the additional quotas established by Decree-Law 145/24?

Applications for work authorization for the care of an elderly individual of advanced age or a disabled person can be for either a fixed-term or an open-ended contract. The worker will be granted a residence permit for subordinate employment with a maximum duration of two years.

Once in Italy, can these workers change employers or jobs?

The new regulations introduce some restrictions for workers entering through this channel:

For the first twelve months of legal employment in the country, they may only perform the authorized work activity.
Changing employers within the first twelve months requires prior authorization from the relevant Territorial Labor Inspectorate.
After twelve months, if the worker receives an offer for another fixed-term or open-ended subordinate employment contract, a new work authorization must be requested from the Unified Immigration Desk. However, this must be within quotas that are expected to be set by future flow decrees.

For further information and updates: New Entry Rules for Foreign Care Workers

New Entry Rules for Foreign Care Workers: 2025 Quotas & Procedures Explained