Italy work permits 2026: new deadlines
Italy work permits 2026: new deadlines
Since 4 June 2026, Italy has applied new rules on the single work permit under Legislative Decree No. 83 of 16 April 2026, implementing EU Directive 2024/1233. The reform changes both the timetable for issuing work permits and the rules governing renewal and conversion procedures.
A 30-day deadline for the single work permit
For the single work permit, the Questura must issue the document within 30 days from completion of the application. This is a specific rule for the single work permit and is intended to reduce the gap between lawful entry for employment and the physical issue of the residence document.
The general 90-day rule
For other residence-permit procedures, the general statutory period for issuing, renewing or converting a permit is now 90 days from the date on which the application is submitted, provided that all legal requirements are met. The reform also changed the statutory reference for renewal applications: the application should be filed at least 90 days before the permit expires.
What happens while the application is pending
The expiry of the physical residence card does not automatically make a person irregular when a valid application for issue, renewal or conversion has already been submitted. Article 5, paragraph 9-bis, of the Immigration Act confirms that, while the procedure is pending, the foreign national may remain lawfully in Italy and may temporarily work, when the other legal requirements are satisfied, on the basis of the receipt proving submission of the application.
This protection continues even when the administration exceeds the 90-day period. The receipt therefore remains a crucial document and should be kept together with the expired permit, passport and any documentation relating to employment or the pending procedure.
Why the new deadlines matter
The reform does not mean that every permit will necessarily be physically delivered within the statutory time. Administrative delays can still occur. The importance of the new framework is that the law now sets clearer time limits and expressly protects continuity of lawful stay and work while the administration completes the procedure.
For foreign workers and employers, this can be particularly important when a contract is renewed, a new employment relationship begins, or evidence of lawful status is requested by an employer or public authority. In cases of prolonged delay, the receipt and the legal rules governing the pending application can be used to demonstrate that the foreign national has not lost lawful status merely because the new card has not yet been issued.
Avv. Fabio Loscerbo
Avvocato Cassazionista
Iscritto nel Registro dei rappresentanti di interessi della Camera dei deputati in materia di Immigrazione
Lobbista registrato presso il Registro per la Trasparenza dell’Unione europea n. 280782895721-36 in materia di Migrazione e Asilo
ORCID: 0009-0004-7030-0428
Articolo redatto con l’ausilio di strumenti di AI, sotto la direzione, revisione e responsabilità editoriale dell’autore.
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