{"id":8904,"date":"2026-10-30T19:58:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T18:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/internship-italy-non-eu-citizens\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T19:58:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T18:58:27","slug":"internship-italy-non-eu-citizens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/internship-italy-non-eu-citizens\/","title":{"rendered":"Internship in Italy for non-EU citizens living abroad: how it works"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"article-summary\"><strong>In short.<\/strong> An internship in Italy for non-EU citizens living abroad is a traineeship (<em>tirocinio<\/em>): a period of training and work orientation, not employment. You do not need a work clearance; you need a study or training visa. A promoting body, a host organisation and a training project approved by the Region are required, and the traineeship lasts from 3 to 12 months, extensions included.<\/p>\n<p>This guide covers who can take part, who does what, the steps, duration, allowance, the entry quota, the permit and the move into work. Italian law says <em>tirocinio<\/em>, which we translate as \u201ctraineeship\u201d; English-language websites often call it an internship.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reviewed 30 October 2026.<\/strong> These are general rules, not advice on your own case: each Region and each consulate applies the rules in its own way.<\/p>\n<h2>What is an internship in Italy for non-EU citizens living abroad?<\/h2>\n<p>The Ministry of Labour describes the traineeship as a period of training and orientation towards work, not an employment relationship. The trainee is not an employee: he or she receives a participation allowance set by the Region, and the host provides board and lodging.<\/p>\n<p>The route covered here is the extracurricular traineeship for people who live outside the EU and come to Italy to complete a training path that began in their own country. No work clearance (<em>nulla osta<\/em>) from the Immigration One-Stop Shop is needed; you enter on a study or training visa.<\/p>\n<h2>Who can take part, and who cannot?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>You must be a citizen of a non-EU country and live abroad.<\/li>\n<li>The traineeship completes a training path started in your country of origin; in Piedmont, for example, unemployed people and first-time job seekers can also take part.<\/li>\n<li>In the regional rules we read (Piedmont and Lazio), EU citizens and non-EU nationals already lawfully resident in Italy are excluded: they follow the general traineeship rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Which rules apply?<\/h2>\n<p>The legal basis is article 27(1)(f) of the Consolidated Immigration Act (Legislative Decree 286\/1998) and article 40(9)(a) of its implementing regulation (Presidential Decree 394\/1999). The operating rules are in the guidelines agreed between the State and the Regions on 5 August 2014, which each Region adopts with its own resolution. The residence permit rests on article 39-bis of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>The Regions were still applying these rules in 2026: Piedmont\u2019s decision of 15 May 2026 and Calabria\u2019s decree of 3 June 2026 are examples. The national change to extracurricular traineeships, the 12-month cap per group of companies in article 4-bis of Decree-Law 62\/2026 (converted by Law 112\/2026), does not mention foreign nationals living abroad.<\/p>\n<h2>Who does what in a traineeship for non-EU citizens?<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Party<\/th>\n<th>Role<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Trainee<\/td>\n<td>Applies for the visa at the consulate, enters Italy, applies for the residence permit and follows the project.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Promoting body (<em>soggetto promotore<\/em>)<\/td>\n<td>An authorised organisation, such as an accredited training centre, employment service, university, school or technical institute, or social cooperative. It signs the traineeship agreement with the host, drafts the individual training project with it, appoints a tutor, applies to the Region and files the final report.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Host organisation (<em>soggetto ospitante<\/em>)<\/td>\n<td>The company or body where the traineeship takes place. It appoints a company tutor, provides board and lodging, pays return travel costs and the allowance under regional rules, makes the compulsory communication and keeps the attendance register.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Region or autonomous Province<\/td>\n<td>Examines the project and endorses it with its own \u201cvisa\u201d; sets local rules and allowances.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Consulate<\/td>\n<td>Issues the entry visa.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Post office and police headquarters (<em>Questura<\/em>)<\/td>\n<td>Receive the permit application: a postal kit first, then an appointment at the Questura.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The same body cannot be both promoter and host of the same traineeship, and each tutor can follow at most three trainees at a time. SH Immigration Specialists does not look for traineeships, does not sell placements and does not act as a promoting body.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the steps, in order?<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Promoter and host.<\/strong> The promoting body signs the traineeship agreement with the host and drafts the individual training project (PFI) with it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regional endorsement.<\/strong> The promoter applies to the Region or autonomous Province, which has 60 days to decide; a request for further documents suspends the clock. The endorsement (<em>visto<\/em>) on the PFI approves the project, is not the entry visa, and lasts 6 months.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Entry visa.<\/strong> You apply at the Italian consulate covering the country where you live, with your passport, a copy of the agreement, the PFI endorsed by the Region and proof of means of support. The legal deadline to decide is 90 days, and it can take longer if the consulate carries out checks. Details are in our <a href=\"\/en\/internship-visa-italy\/\">internship visa guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Residence permit.<\/strong> The application is due within eight working days of arriving in Italy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start.<\/strong> The traineeship must begin within 15 days of the permit application.<\/li>\n<li><strong>During the traineeship.<\/strong> The host makes the compulsory communication and keeps a signed attendance register; the promoter informs the Region about the visa, the arrival and the start.<\/li>\n<li><strong>At the end.<\/strong> Promoter and host file a final report within 60 days of the end, and the trainee receives a certificate of the activity carried out.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Companies will find their duties in the guide to <a href=\"\/en\/host-non-eu-intern-italy-company\/\">hosting a non-EU intern in Italy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>How long can a traineeship last?<\/h2>\n<p>As a rule between 3 and 12 months, extensions included. Less than three months is accepted only for proven reasons assessed case by case by the Region. The same trainee cannot do more than one traineeship with the same host, except for extensions or renewals within the 12 months; an extension needs a stated reason and an updated PFI.<\/p>\n<h2>What does the trainee receive: allowance, board, lodging and travel?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Participation allowance:<\/strong> set by regional rules and written in euro in the agreement. Lazio example (regional page updated 11 April 2022): a minimum of EUR 400 gross a month, with at least 70% attendance in the month. Other Regions have their own rules.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Board and lodging:<\/strong> paid for by the host and not counted as part of the allowance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Return travel:<\/strong> the Ministry of Labour says the host has an obligation, towards the State, to pay the travel costs of the trainee\u2019s return to the country of origin. The Ministry\u2019s vademecum and some Regions speak of a forced return; Piedmont allows a different arrangement with the promoter, to be written in the agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Is there a limit on the number of entries?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes. Visas for traineeships fall within a three-year quota set by decree, outside the annual Decreto Flussi quotas. The latest decree we found is the ministerial decree of 28 June 2023 (Official Gazette no. 183 of 7 August 2023) for 2023-2025: 7,500 entries for traineeships and 7,500 for vocational training courses.<\/p>\n<p>In October 2026 we found no decree for 2026-2028 on the official pages we could read, so ask the Region and the promoter whether, and how, visas are currently available before you travel. Curricular traineeships, which are part of a study plan, are not subject to the quota.<\/p>\n<h2>What cannot be a traineeship?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>An activity that needs no training period.<\/li>\n<li>Elementary, generic and repetitive tasks.<\/li>\n<li>Domestic or care work in a family setting.<\/li>\n<li>Replacing employees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If a company needs a worker, the right route is entry for work, not a traineeship.<\/p>\n<h2>Which residence permit do you get, and can you work?<\/h2>\n<p>You receive a permit for study or traineeship (article 39-bis of the Act). The application is made with the postal kit, with your passport, the agreement stamped by the consulate and a health and accident policy valid in Italy for the whole permit. For a permit of more than three months and up to one year, the Immigration Portal\u2019s tables (22 July 2024) give a total of EUR 116.46: check the amounts before paying.<\/p>\n<p>A permit for study or training also allows subordinate work for up to 20 hours a week, within a ceiling of 1,040 hours a year (article 14(4) of Presidential Decree 394\/1999). The traineeship itself is not work and, according to the National Labour Inspectorate, the limits on subordinate work do not apply to the traineeships of people with a study permit. For the general rules, see our guides to the <a href=\"\/en\/student-residence-permit-italy\/\">student residence permit<\/a> and to <a href=\"\/en\/residence-permit-italy\/\">residence permits in Italy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Can you stay and work after the traineeship?<\/h2>\n<p>The permit can be converted into a work permit, employed or self-employed, but only after the traineeship has ended and while the permit is still valid (article 14(6) of Presidential Decree 394\/1999). The application is filed online with the Immigration One-Stop Shop using SPID, and you need the requirements of the chosen work, such as a job offer.<\/p>\n<p>On quotas the official sources do not agree. Article 6(1) of the Act, after Decree-Law 20\/2023, allows study and training permits to be converted outside the quotas. Integrazione Migranti (7 July 2023) and the Ministry of Labour (news item of 8 August 2023) expressly include the traineeship permit and speak of conversion with \u201cno numerical limits\u201d. The Ministry\u2019s traineeship page, the 2022 vademecum and article 14(6) of Presidential Decree 394\/1999 itself still refer to quotas. The law prevails, but official pages may differ, so check your own case.<\/p>\n<p>Read more in our guides to <a href=\"\/en\/convert-study-permit-to-work-permit-italy\/\">converting a study permit into a work permit<\/a> and to <a href=\"\/en\/residence-permits-convertible-to-work-italy\/\">permits that allow work<\/a>. For employers: <a href=\"\/en\/hire-foreign-workers-italy\/\">hiring foreign workers in Italy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What if you are already in Italy?<\/h2>\n<p>With a residence permit that allows work, you can do traineeships on the same terms as Italians, under regional rules. With a study or vocational-training permit you can do curricular traineeships and also extracurricular ones aimed at finding a job, as long as they are compatible with your course, according to a note of the National Labour Inspectorate published by the Ministry.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the alternatives to a traineeship?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A university or higher-education course: see the <a href=\"\/en\/study-visa-italy-official-guide\/\">study visa guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>A recognised vocational training course, which draws on the same quota (up to 24 months).<\/li>\n<li>A curricular traineeship, if you are already enrolled on a course and the traineeship is in the study plan.<\/li>\n<li>A real job, with a work clearance: see the <a href=\"\/en\/decreto-flussi-2027-application\/\">Decreto Flussi application guide<\/a> or, after an approved training programme in the country of origin, <a href=\"\/en\/hiring-workers-trained-abroad-italy\/\">hiring workers trained abroad<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Overview of the titles: <a href=\"\/en\/italian-residence-permit-types\/\">types of Italian residence permit<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Why do the rules differ between Regions and consulates?<\/h2>\n<p>Regions decide forms, how often their assessment panels meet, allowances and the ratio of trainees to hosts. Consulates list different documents: for example, the Embassy in Bogot\u00e1 and the Consulate General in Paris ask for a B2 certificate in the language of the traineeship, while we did not find one on the pages of Dhaka and Boston. Compare what the promoter, the Region and your consulate each ask for.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Can I do an internship in Italy if I live outside the European Union?<\/h3>\n<p>As a rule yes, if an authorised promoting body and a host organisation set up a training project approved by the Region and you obtain the study or training visa. The traineeship completes a path begun in your own country and is subject to an entry quota set by decree.<\/p>\n<h3>Is this kind of traineeship a job?<\/h3>\n<p>No. For the Ministry of Labour it is a period of training and orientation, not an employment relationship. The trainee receives an allowance set by the Region, plus board and lodging from the host. Anyone who needs to do real work must follow the entry-for-work procedures instead.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I stay in Italy after the traineeship?<\/h3>\n<p>Not automatically. The traineeship permit can be converted into a work permit once the traineeship has ended, if it is still valid and the requirements of the chosen work are met. The application goes to the Immigration One-Stop Shop, and the outcome depends on the competent authorities.<\/p>\n<h3>How much does a trainee receive each month?<\/h3>\n<p>The allowance is set by the Regions and stated in the agreement. In Lazio, for example, the minimum is EUR 400 gross a month with at least 70% attendance; board and lodging are paid by the host and do not count towards the allowance. Other Regions may set different amounts.<\/p>\n<h2>Official sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavoro.gov.it\/temi-e-priorita\/immigrazione\/focus-on\/ingresso-e-soggiorno-per-lavoro-in-italia\/Pagine\/Tirocini-formativi.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tirocini formativi (traineeships) \u2013 Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavoro.gov.it\/temi-e-priorita\/immigrazione\/Documents\/Tirocini_formativi_Vademecum_DG_immigrazione.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Vademecum on traineeships for citizens resident in a third country (September 2022) \u2013 Ministry of Labour (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lavoro.gov.it\/documenti-e-norme\/normativa\/decreto_ministeriale_contingente_triennale_2023-2025_formazione.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ministerial decree of 28 June 2023, 2023\/2025 quota for courses and traineeships \u2013 Ministry of Labour (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/integrazionemigranti.gov.it\/it-it\/Altre-info\/e\/4\/o\/14\/id\/77\/Laccesso-ai-corsi-di-formazione-professionale-e-ai-tirocini\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Access to vocational training courses and traineeships \u2013 Integrazione Migranti (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.portaleimmigrazione.it\/ITA\/soggTirocinante.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Code 33, residence permit for trainees \u2013 Immigration Portal, Ministry of the Interior (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/All.-2-394_1999.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Presidential Decree 394\/1999, implementing regulation (text in force on 28 March 2024) \u2013 Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/integrazionemigranti.gov.it\/it-it\/Ricerca-news\/Dettaglio-news\/id\/3301\/Conversione-del-permesso-di-soggiorno-da-studio-a-lavoro-Cosa-e-cambiato-con-il-decreto-Cutro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Converting a study permit into a work permit after the Cutro decree \u2013 Integrazione Migranti (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavoro.gov.it\/notizie\/pagine\/ingressi-dallestero-tirocini-e-corsi-di-formazione\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Entries from abroad for traineeships and training courses (news item of 8 August 2023) \u2013 Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gazzettaufficiale.it\/eli\/gu\/2026\/06\/27\/147\/sg\/pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Official Gazette no. 147 of 27 June 2026, Law 112\/2026 (article 4-bis on extracurricular traineeships) (Italian text)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The sources were consulted on 30 October 2026. Official pages can be older than the law and Regions change their rules: check the latest instructions of the competent office.<\/p>\n<h2>How can SH Immigration Specialists help?<\/h2>\n<p>Once a promoting body and a host exist, we can help you check requirements and documents, prepare the visa and the residence permit application, and follow the conversion into work. Legal advice, appeals and representation are handled by the lawyers of the <a href=\"\/en\/immigration-law-firm-or-agency-italy\/\">SH Immigration Specialists law firm<\/a>. The outcome depends on the competent authorities. For an assessment, <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/#contact-form\">contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This content provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.<\/p>\n<h2>Which other guides may help you?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/internship-visa-italy\/\">Internship visa for Italy: documents, timing and residence permit<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/host-non-eu-intern-italy-company\/\">Hosting a non-EU intern in Italy: what companies must do<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/student-residence-permit-italy\/\">Student residence permit in Italy: requirements, costs, work hours and renewal<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/convert-study-permit-to-work-permit-italy\/\">Convert a Study Permit to a Work Permit in Italy: Step-by-Step Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/study-visa-italy-official-guide\/\">Study visa Italy \u2013 Official guide to study in Italy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A plain guide to traineeships for non-EU citizens resident abroad: promoting body, host, training project, visa, permit, duration, allowance and conversion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":8893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-residence-permits"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}