# Non-EU Founders Moving to Italy to Run a Team: Questions and Answers

> You founded a company outside Europe and want to live in Italy while building a team there. How to get a permit, an Italian contract and payroll without opening an entity first.

Founders from India, Brazil, Turkey, China or the US increasingly choose Italy as a European base: for customers, for talent, for quality of life, sometimes for family. Many of them hit the same wall in the first month: as a non-EU national, they need a permit, and a permit needs an Italian employer. Here are the questions we get from founders, with direct answers.

## Can I employ myself through my own foreign company?

Not directly. Your foreign company cannot file an Italian work permit unless it has an Italian entity. An Employer of Record can employ you in Italy on behalf of your company, exactly as it would any other employee, provided the employment is genuine: a role, a salary, a contract.

## Do I qualify for a Blue Card as a founder?

The Blue Card looks at the qualification, the contract and the salary, not at your title. If you have a degree or qualifying experience, a contract of at least six months, and a salary at or above the threshold (reported at about €36,300), the route is open. Your company must actually pay that salary every month.

## Would an Italian startup visa be better?

Italy has specific routes for innovative startups and self-employment. They are different from the employee route, with their own conditions. If your plan is to incorporate in Italy from day one, they may fit. If your company stays abroad and you want to start quickly, the EOR plus Blue Card route is usually simpler. We focus on the second; for the first, a specialised adviser is the right call.

## Can my first Italian hires join through the same EOR?

Yes. EU citizens can start within days of a signed offer. Non-EU hires go through the same permit process as you. Each one costs €250 per month plus the employment cost, and €2,500 per visa case if needed.

## What about tax?

As an Italian employee you pay Italian income tax and contributions through payroll. Your company abroad may still be taxable in its home country. Living in Italy and directing a foreign company from here can raise questions about where the company is managed, and whether it has a permanent establishment in Italy. Take advice before you move, especially if you are the sole director.

## What happens to my shares?

Owning shares in your company is not affected by the employment. Dividends and capital gains are taxed according to your tax residence. Equity granted as part of your employment may have specific treatment. Check with an adviser who knows both systems.

## Can my family come?

Yes, under the income and housing conditions, and as a Blue Card holder whatever the length of your permit. See [family reunification](/family-reunification-italy.html).

## When should I open an Italian entity?

When you have a stable team, need to sign contracts in Italy, or the fixed costs of an entity drop below the sum of EOR fees. We transfer employees without loss of seniority. For Blue Card holders, the first twelve months require labour office approval for a change of employer, so plan the move after the first year if you can. See [moving to your own entity](/articles/move-from-eor-to-own-italian-entity-permit.html).

## Which city?

That depends on your market and your hiring plan. Milan for finance, fashion and the biggest international scene; Turin and Bologna for engineering and industry; Rome for public sector and energy; smaller cities for cost and quality of life. See [choosing a city](/articles/choosing-italian-city-cost-of-living-newcomers.html).

## How long until I can live here?

The Blue Card nulla osta has a 30-day legal deadline. Your own document preparation and the consulate are the variable parts. Plan in months, not weeks.

## Where do I start?

[Send us](/contact.html) your nationality, qualification and the salary your company can pay. We reply with the route and the cost within one business day.

## Quick checks

**Can I hold an Italian Blue Card and be the director of my foreign company?** You can own and direct your company; what matters is that your employment in Italy is genuine. Take tax advice on the director role.

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Source: https://italybluecard.com/articles/non-eu-founders-relocating-to-italy-faq.html · 2026-10-25