Health Care in Italy for Newcomers on a Work Permit

People moving from countries where health insurance is tied to the employer often ask the same thing: “Which insurance will the company give me in Italy?”. The short answer is that in Italy, your health care does not depend on your employer. As a resident employee you enrol in the national health service, the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), funded by general taxation.

Enrolment  

Enrolment is done at the local health authority (ASL) for the area where you live. Bring your passport, residence permit or permit receipt, tax code and, usually, your employment contract or proof of address. Family members who join you enrol in the same way.

At enrolment you choose a medico di base, a family doctor, from a list of available doctors in your area. For children there are paediatricians. You then receive a health card that also shows your tax code.

The exact documents and procedure vary by region. Check the ASL website or ask us before you go.

What it covers  

The SSN covers general practitioner visits, hospital care, emergency care and specialist care on referral, with a co-payment (ticket) for some services and medicines. Waiting times for non-urgent specialist visits can be long in some areas, and many people use private clinics for faster appointments, paying out of pocket or through a supplementary fund.

What the employer pays  

Nothing directly for the public system. Health care is not an employer cost in Italy, and it does not appear on the invoice we send to the company employing you. The employer’s social contributions to INPS fund pensions, unemployment, sickness pay and maternity, not the health service.

Some collective agreements (CCNLs) include a supplementary health fund. Contributions are paid by the employer and are exempt from tax up to €3,615.20 a year. These funds reimburse private visits, dental care and other services. If your CCNL has one, you are enrolled automatically.

Sick leave is separate  

Health care and sick pay are two different things. When you are ill, your doctor sends a medical certificate online to INPS. Your pay during sickness is shared between INPS and the employer according to the CCNL. Your job is protected for a period set by the CCNL.

The first weeks  

There can be a short gap between landing and completing enrolment. Some people keep travel or private cover for the first weeks; others are covered from the date the permit application is filed. Check your situation with us before you travel.

Bring:

• a summary of your medical history, ideally translated;
• current prescriptions with the active ingredient, not just the brand name;
• vaccination records for children, which schools ask for.

Private insurance: needed or not?  

For most employees, not needed. It can still make sense if you want faster specialist access or cover in other countries. If the company employing you wants to offer it as a benefit, we can include it in payroll; contributions to qualifying health funds have the tax treatment described above.

Questions we often hear  

Does my spouse need to be employed to get health care? No. Family members who join you with a family permit enrol in the health service too.

Can I keep my doctor from home? You can keep seeing them privately when you travel back, but in Italy you need an Italian family doctor for referrals and prescriptions.

Does the Blue Card change anything? No. Blue Card holders enrol like other residents with a work permit.

More on the first weeks in relocation .

Things candidates ask  

Is enrolment automatic? No. You enrol at the ASL with your documents. We tell you which office covers your address.

Are dental care and glasses covered? Coverage is limited. Supplementary health funds, where the CCNL has one, often reimburse part of these costs.

What about emergencies before enrolment? Emergency care is provided in any case. Keep travel insurance for the first weeks until enrolment is complete.

Do I pay anything for the health card? Enrolment for employees with a work permit is part of the public system funded by taxation; check with the ASL whether any local administrative step applies.

Can I see a specialist directly? Usually you need a referral from your family doctor for public specialist care. Private specialists can be seen directly, at your own cost or through a supplementary fund.