Who Can Sponsor an Italian Work Permit? EOR, Own Entity or Nobody

For an ordinary hire in Italy, a company abroad has three options: an Employer of Record, its own Italian entity, or a contractor. For a non-EU professional who needs a permit, the list shrinks to two. This article explains why, and how to choose.

The rule behind it  

Italian work permits for employees, the Blue Card included, are requested by the employer at the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione. The joint circular of the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of the Interior of 28 March 2024 explains how employers file Blue Card applications with these desks. The employer then signs the stay contract with the worker after arrival, and runs Italian payroll.

All of that presumes an employer that exists in Italy.

Option 1: your own Italian entity  

You incorporate a company in Italy, typically a limited company (Srl), or register a branch. Then you open a bank account, register for tax, social security and injury insurance, and set up payroll. Only then can the entity file the permit.

When it makes sense: you plan a stable team in Italy, you need a legal presence for sales or contracts, or you already have the entity.

The downside: months of setup before the first permit can even be filed, plus fixed costs for accounting, payroll and annual filings whether you employ one person or ten.

Option 2: an Employer of Record  

An EOR is an Italian company that becomes the legal employer of your person. It files the permit, signs the stay contract and the employment contract, and runs payroll. You keep directing the work.

When it makes sense: you are sponsoring one or a few people, you want them in Italy as soon as the permit allows, or you are not yet sure Italy will become a long-term base.

The cost: with ItalyBlueCard, €250 per employee per month and €2,500 per visa case, plus the actual employment cost billed monthly.

Option 3: a contractor agreement  

Not an option for a permit. A contractor agreement does not support an employee work permit. And a person living in Italy and working only for you as a contractor is a reclassification risk.

Side by side  

Moving from one to the other  

Many companies start with an EOR and open an entity later. The employee can be transferred without losing seniority. The permit is then updated with the new employer; in the first twelve months of a Blue Card, a change of employer needs the prior approval of the labour office, which counts as given after 15 days without reply. Timing the transfer after the first year avoids that step.

A word on group transfers  

If your group already has an Italian subsidiary, a transfer route for managers and specialists within a group may apply. Without one, there is nothing to transfer to, and the EOR is the practical route. See intra-company transfer .

Our recommendation  

Use an EOR for the first people, and revisit the entity question when the team is stable. More in EOR, entity or contractors .

One more thing  

Can a co-working membership or virtual office in Italy sponsor? No. A sponsor must be an actual employer in Italy.

Is the EOR the employer for all legal purposes? Yes, in Italy. Your company directs the work under the services agreement.

Can a relocation company sponsor? Only if it is itself the employer. Many work with an EOR for this reason. See partners .

What does the company abroad sign? One services agreement with us. The employee signs the Italian employment contract with us. The company never needs Italian registrations.

How long is the services agreement? It runs as long as the employment, and can be ended with notice. Ending it means ending or transferring the employment, which follows Italian rules.

Can we use the EOR for EU staff too? Yes. The same contract and payroll, without the visa step.