Working in Italy from Uzbekistan: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Is Italy a realistic target for Uzbek workers in 2026?

If you are a Uzbek worker looking for legal work in Italy as a welder, driver, caregiver, construction worker, or farm hand, you need to understand the reality of the process. Italy is a popular target, but legal immigration is restricted by an annual quota system called Decreto Flussi (Flow Decree). Under this system, the Italian government sets a fixed number of work permits each year for non-EU citizens. The demand from job seekers worldwide is far higher than the available quotas, and application windows (known as click days) fill up in a matter of minutes.

Because of this quota limitation and long administrative waiting times, Italy can be a difficult and slow target for workers applying from Uzbekistan. The total timeline from finding an employer to landing in Italy often takes anywhere from 6 to 12 months. If you need to start working abroad quickly to support your family, countries in Central and Eastern Europe like Poland, Croatia, Hungary, or Slovakia often offer more straightforward, faster work permit routes for Uzbek nationals. However, if you are determined to work in Italy and have an employer willing to sponsor you, the legal steps are very specific.

The official Italian permit route: Decreto Flussi and Nulla Osta

To work legally in Italy in a skilled or manual trade, you cannot simply apply for a work visa on your own. The process must always start in Italy with your future employer. There are two primary permit types under the quota system:

• Non-seasonal work permit (Lavoro Subordinato): Issued for long-term work contracts, such as construction, driving, or caregiving, usually valid for 1 to 2 years and renewable.
• Seasonal work permit (Lavoro Stagionale): Issued mainly for agricultural harvesting or seasonal hospitality work, valid for up to 9 months.

The employer in Italy must file an application during an official Decreto Flussi window at the local Italian immigration office, known as the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione. If the quota request is approved, the Italian government issues a work clearance called a Nulla Osta. Only after your employer receives the official Nulla Osta and sends a copy to you can you start your visa application in Uzbekistan. Without a valid Nulla Osta registered in the Italian official system, no embassy or agency can issue you a work visa.

Submitting your application in Uzbekistan

Once your employer in Italy sends you the official Nulla Osta clearance, you must submit your national work visa application in Uzbekistan. Italian work visas are classified as long-stay National Visas (Type D).

You will submit your documents and biometrics (fingerprints and photo) through the official Italian visa processing partner serving Uzbekistan. Applications are processed through the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Tashkent or directly through the Embassy of Italy in Tashkent depending on appointment availability. You must schedule an appointment online before attending the center. Never pay an informal agent outside the center for an appointment slot, as official appointments must be booked directly through the authorized platform.

Required documents, apostilles, and costs in Uzbekistan

Preparing your application packet requires precise documentation from both your Italian employer and Uzbekistan public offices. All documents issued in Uzbekistan must be properly legalized so Italian authorities accept them.

You will need to gather the following essential documents:

• Valid international passport: Must have at least two blank pages and remain valid for at least 3 to 6 months beyond your intended stay.
• Official Nulla Osta copy: Sent by your employer in Italy, along with the signed draft of your employment contract (Contratto di Soggiorno).
• Police clearance certificate: An official certificate of no criminal record (spravka) issued by the Public Services Center (Davlat Xizmatlari Markazi) or the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan.
• Proof of qualifications: Diplomas, vocational trade certificates, or documented work history proving your experience in your trade.
• Medical certificate and travel health insurance: Coverage for initial travel and health clearance as requested by the embassy.
• Completed Type D visa application form: Signed by you, along with recent passport-sized photographs.

Any official document issued in Uzbekistan, including your police clearance certificate and trade qualifications, must be legalised with an Apostille by the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. Furthermore, these documents must be translated into Italian by an officially recognized sworn translator.

Here is a breakdown of the typical costs you will carry on the Uzbekistan side. Please note that these are approximate ranges and can change based on exchange rates and service updates:

• Uzbek police clearance and Apostille: Approximately 150,000 to 400,000 UZS (around 11 to 30 EUR).
• Official Italian translations: Approximately 100,000 to 250,000 UZS per document (around 7 to 18 EUR per page).
• Italian National Visa fee (Type D): Set officially by the Italian government, approximately 116 EUR (around 1,600,000 UZS).
• VFS Global service fee: Approximately 20 to 30 EUR (around 280,000 to 420,000 UZS).
• Medical checks and photographs: Approximately 300,000 to 600,000 UZS (around 22 to 45 EUR).
• One-way flight from Tashkent to Italy: Approximately 350 to 600 EUR (around 4,800,000 to 8,300,000 UZS).

Processing times vary. The employer's application for the initial Nulla Osta in Italy typically takes approximately 2 to 6 months. Once you submit your completed visa file at VFS Tashkent, visa processing usually takes approximately 3 to 8 weeks.

Placement fees and recruitment rules

Under Italian labor laws and European Union regulations, no employer or recruitment agency is legally allowed to charge a worker money in exchange for a job offer or a work contract. The costs of applying for the Nulla Osta and recruitment authorization in Italy must be paid entirely by the employer.

Be extremely cautious of dishonest brokers or unauthorized agencies in Uzbekistan who demand thousands of Euros promising a guaranteed Decreto Flussi quota or a guaranteed Italian visa. Fake Nulla Osta documents are a common scam targeting foreign workers. Always insist on verifying that your Nulla Osta is registered with the Italian Ministry of Interior before handing over any document translation fees.

Trades in Italy that hire foreign workers

While quotas are strict, Italian employers frequently seek international candidates for specific essential roles where local labor shortages exist:

• Caregiving and domestic assistance (Badanti): Italy has an aging population, creating constant demand for live-in personal care workers and elder assistants in private homes.
• Construction and masonry: Italian infrastructure projects and building renovations actively hire skilled welders, carpenters, masons, and heavy machinery operators.
• Agricultural labor: Seasonal farms across rural Italy hire foreign workers every year for fruit, vegetable, and grape harvesting under dedicated seasonal quota allocations.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: You can buy an Italian work visa from an agency in Tashkent.
  Fact: Work visas are strictly granted by the Italian Embassy after an employer in Italy successfully secures an official Nulla Osta authorization. Agencies cannot sell visas.
• Myth: You can enter Italy as a tourist and convert your visa to a work permit later.
  Fact: Converting a tourist visa into a regular work permit inside Italy is generally illegal for entry-level trade jobs. You must enter Italy with a Type D work visa issued in Uzbekistan.
• Myth: Uzbek workers must pay thousands of Euros to cover employer taxes for the work permit.
  Fact: Italian law requires the employer to pay all processing fees for the Nulla Osta. Charging the worker for employment authorization is illegal.
• Myth: The Decreto Flussi quota accepts work permit applications at any time during the year.
  Fact: Applications can only be submitted on specific official dates called click days announced by the Italian government each year.

Before you sign: Essential safety checklist

• Verify the employer details: Ensure the contract contains the employer's official Italian business registration number (Partita IVA or Codice Fiscale).
• Check the Nulla Osta clearance: Confirm that your employer sent you a genuine copy of the official authorization issued by the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione.
• Refuse upfront job purchase fees: Never pay brokers or agencies claiming they can guarantee you a spot in the Decreto Flussi quota system.
• Check passport validity: Make sure your passport has at least 18 months of total validity remaining to avoid delays at the embassy.
• Confirm travel and housing terms: Review your contract carefully to see whether accommodation and transport support are clearly stated before departing Tashkent.

Show your readiness on Workuro

If you are ready to work in Europe, make sure your Workuro profile clearly reflects your actual readiness. Detail your practical trade skills, your exact passport status, whether your police clearance is ready, and your level of spoken Italian or English. Employers searching for qualified talent want to see clear, honest details about your experience and documentation state.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.