In short. Domestic workers who live abroad may enter Italy for a family job through the Flows Decree if the application fits the quota and annual procedure. For 2027, 14,000 places are allocated to family assistance. Applications are pre-filled on the ALI Portal and submitted on the date set for form A-bis. The authorisation is not a visa or a residence permit.
Here you will find how to distinguish an entry application from hiring someone already in Italy, which steps to check and what happens after the authorisation is issued.
Reviewed 8 November 2026. These are general rules, not personalised advice: quotas, calendars, forms and checks may change each year and according to the employer’s or worker’s circumstances.
Leggi questa guida in italiano
Do domestic workers who live abroad need the Flows Decree?
Yes. The Flows Decree is the route through which an employer can request permission for a non-EU national who is still abroad to enter Italy for work. The employer applies to the Single Desk for Immigration for a work authorisation, within the annual quota and timetable. A place in the quota is not an automatic approval: the application is assessed, and the worker must then obtain a visa to travel.
This is different from hiring someone who is already lawfully in Italy with a residence permit that allows work. In that situation, an entry application under the Flows Decree is not normally required simply because the person is a non-EU national. Start with Italian residence permit types to establish the person’s position before deciding which procedure applies.
“Carer” describes a kind of job in everyday language; it does not by itself determine the immigration route. The 2027 Flows Decree allocates 14,000 entries to family assistance within the non-seasonal quota. The framework comes from the Prime Ministerial Decree of 2 October 2025 for 2026–2028 and the joint operating instructions for 2027. This quota should not be confused with any separate procedure, which has its own eligibility criteria.
Practical checklist before proceeding
- Distinguish a worker still abroad from someone already in Italy with permission to work.
- Check the relevant year, application form and official timetable before filing.
- Keep work authorisation, visa, entry and residence-permit stages separate.
How many places are available in 2027, and when can a family apply?
For 2027, 14,000 entries are allocated to family assistance. The joint circular of 1 October 2026 assigns form A-bis to non-seasonal family-assistance work and sets pre-filling from 9 am on 23 October 2026 to 8 pm on 7 December 2026. The ALI Portal then reopens from 9 to 13 December 2026 so people who pre-filled applications in the final days can complete or edit them and save them in the required status; this is not a new submission window.
Pre-filling and submission are separate steps. The person handling the application enters the information on the ALI Portal, saves it and checks its status. Access requires SPID or CIE: never share your login credentials with anyone. Filling in a form does not submit it: follow the later transmission window for that form and the portal’s instructions.
Pre-filling is now a permanent part of the Flows procedure following changes made in 2025; the dates and transmission calendar are set separately for each year. The 2027 circular and Ministry notice therefore take precedence over calendars for earlier click days. The interministerial summary of legal changes explains how this preparatory stage fits into the process.
As at 8 November 2026, pre-filling is open. The notice on the Ministry of the Interior’s ALI Portal sets the click day for the A-BIS quota form at 09:00 on 18 February 2027. Check the calendar again before submission: a pre-filled application is not sent automatically.
Before starting, identify the employer who will file, the worker who lives abroad, the proposed employment relationship and the place of work. Prepare the worker’s identity and travel-document details, together with information requested about the employer and proposed contract. Do not submit an incomplete application based on instructions from another year: forms, checks and windows can change.
Official further reading: Joint Circular of 1 October 2026 on 2027 Flows – Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Labour (Italian text).
What should a family check before asking for the work authorisation?
The employer should confirm that the proposed job is genuine and fits the form and quota for the relevant year; the Single Desk examines the request under the rules in force. Do not assume that any household can make any application, or that caring for a person who needs support is by itself enough to satisfy the requirements. The employer’s capacity, proposed contract and administrative checks may all affect the decision.
The 2027 operating instructions should be read together with the Prime Ministerial Decree of 2 October 2025 and the provisions that apply to domestic work. To avoid overgeneralising about income thresholds or exemptions, a family should check its own position against the current form and official instructions. The practical rule is not to rely on amounts or requirements taken from an older FAQ without checking that they remain current.
The 2027 joint circular retains earlier operating instructions where compatible. For quota-based domestic assistance, the 2025 circular requires a prior check with the Employment Centre and, as a rule, an asseverazione. It provides exceptions, including for a non-self-sufficient employer hiring someone for their own care; in that case it also waives income proof and requires medical certification. Amounts stated for 2025 are not automatically the 2027 figures: check the current form and evidence requirements. The 2023 FAQ alone does not confirm every current step.
Do not confuse the ordinary domestic-work quota with a separate “outside quota” pilot for specific care needs. That route has its own eligible situations, numerical limit and filing process; it is not a way to bypass the A-bis requirements. If the person receiving care may fall into a special category, compare the applicable legislation and dedicated form before choosing a route. An application filed on the wrong form may be inadmissible.
What happens after the family submits the application?
After submission, the Single Desk for Immigration begins the checks required for the case. A submission receipt shows that the application was sent; it does not show that it has been approved. If the authorities request further information or send a decision, the employer should follow the instructions and deadline in that specific notice.
If the authorisation is granted, the details are sent to the consulate for the visa process. Once the consulate reports that the checks are complete, the employer must confirm the request with the Single Desk within 15 days; otherwise it is treated as refused and any issued authorisation is revoked. The employer must also promptly tell the worker about every communication and remains responsible for these duties even when assisted by an intermediary. The authorisation is not a visa and does not by itself allow work to start. The 2027 joint circular describes these steps. The guide to Checking your Italian residence permit status and collecting the card concerns a later stage, not an authorisation request.
The work authorisation remains effective for a period set by the applicable legislation and instructions. Do not wait until it is close to expiry to arrange the consular appointment: the worker should promptly check the documents, booking method and personal requirements set by the competent mission. A checklist from a different consulate does not replace the local instructions.
After entry, the employer and worker must sign the residence contract and submit it electronically to the Single Desk within 15 days. The first point of contact is generally the Desk that issued the authorisation; later steps depend on the case. For later stages, see Residence Permit Renewal in Italy: When, Costs and Documents (2026). Do not begin work until lawful entry and the required formalities have been checked. The 2027 circular updates the signing and submission deadline.
The nulla osta does not replace the INPS notification for domestic employment. The employer must file it by midnight on the day before work begins, including on holidays; the rule also covers foreign workers and short or discontinuous jobs. This is separate from the residence-permit application and social-security duties. Before agreeing a start date, check the current INPS instructions for notifying domestic employment.
How can a family reduce avoidable errors?
Many preventable mistakes come from mixing up stages, routes or years. A family can reduce the risk by working through the following checks:
- Confirm that the worker is a non-EU national living abroad and that the aim is entry for domestic employment.
- Check that form A-bis and the quota are those for 2027, and that the case does not fall under another route.
- Read the 2027 circular and ALI Portal notice, then prepare the information requested during the official pre-filling period.
- Review the employer, worker, duties, location, contract conditions and attachments before saving and submitting.
- Keep the receipt and case reference; check the portal and Single Desk messages instead of assuming that silence means approval.
- After a decision, let the worker follow the competent consulate’s instructions for a visa and entry, then complete the residence and employment steps.
Official further reading: ALI Portal for immigration applications – Ministry of the Interior (Italian interface).
Frequently asked questions
Does the click day guarantee a work authorisation?
No. Click day is the time when prepared applications are submitted; it is not an approval decision. The Single Desk checks the application and the quota. Keep the submission receipt, follow official notices and wait for a decision: an application sent is not an authorisation issued.
Can I use the Flows Decree if the carer is already in Italy?
The entry quota concerns a worker who is abroad. If the person is already lawfully in Italy, check their residence permit and whether it allows work; do not assume that a new Flows entry application is needed. The applicable procedure depends on the person’s current status.
Can a family submit the application during pre-filling?
Pre-filling saves information in the system but does not submit the request. Transmission must take place during the period set for the relevant form and under the official instructions. Check that the application has the status required for sending and keep the confirmation of submission.
Does the authorisation let the worker start immediately?
No. The authorisation is a necessary part of the entry procedure, but it does not replace the visa, lawful entry or residence formalities. The worker must follow the consulate’s and Single Desk’s instructions and start only when their status permits work.
Official sources
- Joint Circular of 1 October 2026 on 2027 Flows – Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Labour (Italian text)
- Operational instructions for the 2026–2028 Flows Decree – competent ministries (Italian text)
- Prime Ministerial Decree of 2 October 2025, 2026–2028 planning – official text (Italian)
- 2027 Flows Decree: pre-filling applications – Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)
- ALI Portal for immigration applications – Ministry of the Interior (Italian interface)
- Entry and residence for work: legal changes – Integration Migrants portal (Italian text)
- FAQ on domestic work and Flows – Integration Migrants portal (Italian text)
- Formalising the employment of a domestic worker – INPS (Italian text)
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
SH Immigration Specialists offers administrative help to prepare a domestic-work authorisation application, organise documents and follow the steps between the ALI Portal, Single Desk and visa. Legal advice, appeals and representation are handled by the lawyers of SH Immigration Specialists. The outcome depends on the competent authorities. For an assessment, contact us.
This content provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
Do you have a case like this? Talk to a specialist consultant
In 30 minutes a specialist consultant at SH Immigration Specialists looks at your situation and tells you what to do, which documents you need and which mistakes to avoid. Online, from any country, in Italian or English.
Want us to handle it for you? See our residence permit service.
How would you like to pay?
After payment we email you to set the date and time.
- Account holder
- SH Group di Hamza Ameer
- IBAN
- IT55 H030 6902 5201 0000 0018 632
- Amount
- €199 (Basic) · €249 (Priority)
- Reference
- Consultation + your full name
After the transfer, fill in the booking form: we set the date and time as soon as we receive the payment.
Questions before booking? Use the contact form · Details and booking form
Secure online payment with Stripe. SH Immigration Specialists is not a law firm: appeals and legal advice are handled by the lawyers on the team.
Which other guides may help you?
- Italian residence permit types
- Checking your Italian residence permit status and collecting the card
- Residence Permit Renewal in Italy: When, Costs and Documents (2026)
- Housing suitability certificate in Italy (idoneità alloggiativa)
- Family reunification in Italy 2026: requirements, income, documents and procedure
- Hire a foreign national in Italy: permit checks and steps
- Work visa after an Italian nulla osta: steps and documents
