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Guide Contents

Introduction ………………………………………………………… Page 3

Part I

Living and Working in Italy

Getting to and Legally Staying in Italy ………………………………………… Page 4

Working in Italy ………………………………………… Page 5

Buying vs. Renting a House in Italy ………………………………………… Page 7

Part II

Settling in to Life in Italy

What to Leave, What to Bring and How to Bring it Italy ……………………… Page 8

Getting Your Groove …………………..………………………………………… Page 9

Practicing the Language …………………..………………………………………… Page 10

Bridging the Gap …………………..………………………………………… Page 11

Connecting with Other Expats …………………..………………………………………… Page 11

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For many people, living in Italy is a dream. They’ve imagined what it’d be like to stroll to the

farmer’s market each Monday to fill up on fresh fruit and homemade cheese. They’ve seen

themselves in a quaint stone house, snuggling by the fire and waiting to bring in clothes from the

line. They’ve thought of evening chats with neighbors-because in their dreams they are already

fluent in Italian-and envisioned showing their new hometown to friends who visit.

If you are reading this guide, chances are you are either considering a move to the bel paese, aka: a

wannabe or are already in the process of planning your move of a lifetime, aka: a soon-to-be. If

that is the case-auguri! This guide is divided into two sections-Living and Working in Italy and

Settling in to Life in Italy and lists only the essential information wannabes and soon-to-bes need

to know to get started. You should also note the following:

The advice in this guide is not intended to replace legal or official immigration information. You

should contact your local Italian consulate for information specific to your case.

Links have been provided throughout the guide to serve as a starting point for your continued

research. There are hundreds of other valuable links related to living, working and adjusting to life as

an expat in Italy.

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Part I: Living and Working in Italy

Living in Italy: Getting to and Legally Staying in Italy

For many wannabe and soon-to-be expats, the big question is “How can I legally live in Italy?” And

it is a good question. Unless you were blessed with EU citizenship at birth, you can’t just wake up

and take residence in the land of mozzarella.

It is a process. A long and tedious and frustrating process. In fact, it can take years for some people

to receive proper documentation to legally live and work in Italy. And that’s the bad news.

The good news is that with a little creativity and persistence, it can be done. Here are four of the

most common ways you can legally live in Italy.

1. Student Visa: If you don’t mind hitting the books in the bel paese, then find an

educational program and move to Italy, albeit temporarily, on a student visa.

2. Work Visa: To get a work visa in Italy, you can either apply for one in your home

country (then wait and wait and wait) or get hired by a company who will sponsor your

visa. See the following page for more on working in Italy.

3. Retirement: Pensioners wanting to retire in Italy might be eligible for the Elective

Resident Visa-if they can show proof of adequate income. At publication time, no

minimum amount has been stated, so it is unclear as to how much money is needed.

Note: you can’t work on this visa.

4. Family (Ancestry or Marriage): If you have family ties to an Italian citizen-either through

your ancestry or through your marriage-you might be eligible to live and work in Italy.

See the above links for more information.

Your visa entitles you to enter Italy. Upon entering, will need to convert your visa to a Permesso di

Soggiorno so you can legally stay in the country.

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Working in Italy

In some cases, your permission to live in Italy automatically comes with permission to work in Italy.

If so, you are in luck. Kinda.

Having permission to work in the bel paese doesn’t mean it will be easy to work in the bel paese.

Yes, employment opportunities vary depending on where you are in Italy, but in general, finding a

job in Italy is a lot work.

Working For an Italian Company

The easiest way to work in Italy is to transfer with a company that has offices in both your home

country and in Italy. If the company you currently work for fits the bill, then start networking and

let your company know you are interested in living abroad.

Otherwise, check out the job sections of Italy’s major newspapers, specifically Corriere della Sera

and La Repubblica. You can also visit Monster.com-Italy or look for a temporary assignment from

Manpower or Kelly Services.

Teaching English

If English is your native language, you might find a job teaching at a local language school. Most

schools will require you to be certified to teach ESL, so consider taking a TEFL course before you

move.

Other expats maximize their income by teaching private English lessons. Even if teaching isn’t your

ideal day job, it can be a good source of supplemental income for many expats, especially in the

beginning.

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Self-Employment

Many expats have chosen an entrepreneurial path and have found work-at-home careers that pay

more than a typical Italian salary. In some cases it can take years to get established, but if you are

dedicated, the hard work and persistence are but stepping stones to reaching your dream.

Some current expats in Italy have established rewarding careers as:

Freelance writers or translators

Travel professionals (B&B owners/Innkeepers, travel consultants, tour guides)

Career or event planners

Typical Italian Salary

A “typical” Italian salary varies depending on where you are, however, many college-educated

Italians receive €900-€1500 per month.

No. That is not a typo.

Yes. It is hard to live on this.

Additionally, many companies-even top Italian companies-regularly pay their employees late or

reduced salaries. If you have a contract with an Italian company, you could technically take them to

court, but the process is tedious and expensive.

If you choose the self-employment route, consider laying the foundation before you move. This will

decrease stress over not having a “job,” and will help you transition more easily into your new life

as an expat in Italy.

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Living in Italy: Renting vs. Buying

You’ve probably imagined yourself living in Italy-either in the heart of Trastevere, sipping vino rosso

with your new Roman friends … in your hundreds-year-old cottage gazing at green vineyards and

Tuscan olive trees rolling in the distance … or maybe you are in the south-in a tiny three-story stone

house, preparing wood-stove pizzas for your friends as they tour your ancient Medieval village.

Long-Term Rental

A long-term rental refers to any rental agreement longer than three months. In many cases, your

long-term rental will be furnished, although keep in mind that Italian kitchens are portable, so your

rental may-or may not-have kitchen cabinets, counters, sink, stove and/or a refrigerator. Visit the

regional tourism websites for information on long-term rentals in each region or spend a week or

two in your future location so you can speak-and negotiate-first-hand with property owners.

Buying

Once you know where you want to live, find a real estate agent you like and trust and get inside

help. Casa.it, Tecnocasa and Rustici are good places to start online.

Whatever your dream, you

likely have an idea of the

kind of village or city you’d

like to call home. However,

the type of house, villa or

apartment you’ll call home-

and whether you should

rent or buy might be

another story.

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Part II: Settling in to Life in Italy

Settling In: What to Leave, What to Bring and How to Bring It

Even current expats can’t agree on what you should leave or bring or whether those items should

be shipped, packed or stored. Still, many expats will tell you they brought more than they needed

and once they were gone, those oh-so important material objects weren’t even missed.

However, the truth is, you probably own more than will fit inside your one-or two, depending on

how stingy your airline is-tightly packed suitcases and will need to either ship or store some

personal items when you move to Italy.

Shipping

Unless you plan on moving to Italy and never looking-or going-back, overseas movers are

expensive. It can cost thousands of dollars and take months for your items to arrive.

Storage

If you plan on being in Italy a limited time or aren’t willing to part with certain items just yet, then

you might opt to store your items in a local storage facility. The costs vary depending on where you

live, the size of the unit and on the length of your lease, but if you plan on storing items for a few

years or less, you’ll save money.

What to Bring

Many expats bring photos, family items, clothes and personal items with them when they move to

Italy. For more specifics on what to bring, what electronics will-and won’t-work in Italy or for tips

on what other expats packed, check out the Moving2Italy2 site.

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Settling In: Getting Your Groove

Now that you have happily moved into your new home, know how to find a job and have all of your

“old life” either on a boat heading to Italy or safely stored in a unit that is more air conditioned

than your new home, you will want to find your groove.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to establish a routine and start meeting your future friends and

new neighbors. While many Italians are warm and generous, there aren’t many who will bring over

a warm basket of homemade bread on your first day. That’ll take time.

Here are five tips to help your new neighbors meet you.

1. Smile and speak to them every time you pass, even if they don’t speak to you:

Especially if you live in a small town, your neighbors will recognize you as an outsider

and will be secretly-at least to your knowledge-sizing you up. They might not speak to

you first the first few times, but eventually they’ll see you as the lovely foreigner you

are and will greet you on the street like they do the locals.

2. Go to the same bar every morning for your coffee and shop in the same store every

day for your fresh fruit and veggies: The idea is to start making small connections with

people so you’ll feel more “at home” in your new home. If you go to the same bar, the

same store, the same pizzeria, the locals will begin to recognize you-and you them.

Imagine how you’ll feel the first time the barista asks you if want your usual. That in

itself is worth the monotony.

3. Let them hear you speak Italian: If you move to a city or village that isn’t accustomed

to English-speaking tourists or expats-then speak up! The locals will recognize your

Italian accent as foreign and will be more inclined to strike up a conversation with you.

Tell them about yourself, where you are from and what you enjoy doing and they might

be able to introduce you to someone else with common interests.

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4. Join the gym or take a dance class: One of the easiest ways to meet people in Italy is to

join the gym or take a dance class. You will be forced to interact and will begin to

recognize people from your class or gym when you pass them on the street or see them

at your local bar.

5. Get Outside: In every small town there is a street or square where the locals gather for

their evening passeggiata. So … get out there. You’ll never meet people if you stay

cooped up inside your beautifully restored home, so hit the street and start enjoying an

evening stroll with the locals. And leave your iPod and cell phone at home. No one will

approach you if you look unapproachable.

Practicing the Language

If you are one of the people who will move to Italy already fluent in la bella lingua … then, bravo(a)!

If you are like the many others who have moved to Italy with a good dictionary and a dream, then

never fear … you will learn.

Italians are generous with their compliments to foreigners learning their language and most are

willing to help. Many large cities have language schools and even smaller communities offer EU-

sponsored “Italian for Foreigners” classes. Google “Italiano per stranieri” followed by your city and

you’ll likely find a list of both public and private classes.

As always, the best way to learn a language is to practice-so take every opportunity, even if you

make mistakes, to speak with your neighbors and expand your vocabulary by reading Italian-

language literature.

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Settling In: Bridging the Gap

Even if you’ve met your neighbors and pledged to be BFF ‘til the day you die, you’ll still want a

relationship with those you left behind. Today’s technology makes that easier than ever, but here

are a few tips for expats who are particularly close to family and friends back home.

Talk often: Believe it or not, life at home goes on without you. Children grow up,

grandparents age, new shops open on the corner street. Keeping in touch with people

from home will help you feel connected to that part of your life. If busy schedules and

varying time zones interfere, consider scheduling a time when you will call home or be

online to chat.

Make a plan: Some expats have no problem leaving their home country without

knowing when they will return. Others like to have an idea on when they’ll next see

their families and friends. If this sounds like you, make a plan and then do everything

you can to stick to it.

Connecting with Other Expats

One of the easiest ways to connect with other expats in Italy is by joining one of the expat-focused

forums. Expats in Italy and Life in Italy are good places to start.

You can also make connections with other expats who live in your area of Italy by checking out

their expat blogs. Here is a quick list of blogs divided by regions in northern, central and southern

Italy.

Northern Italy Central Italy Southern Italy

Expat in Rapallo Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino My Bella Vita

Blog from Italy NYC/Caribbean Ragazza Bleeding Espresso

Frutto della Passione When in Rome Tours Ciao Amalfi

Bella Baita View Burnt by the Tuscan Sun Tina Tangos

Creative Structures Friends and Family in Italy Baroque Sicily

Bella Vita in Liguria Think on it

Molfetta Daily Photo

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While it is true moving to Italy, finding a suitable job and getting through those first few months

isn’t always a stroll along the lungomare, it is important to know that those are the toughest steps.

Once you have made the move and are actively living your new life as an Italy-based expat, things

will start to come together and you should fall into a routine that is comfortable for you.

Like other goals, life in Italy is attainable and if you are dedicated to achieving your goal-you will

make it happen.

And here’s the best part.

If you go through the stages of being a wannabe expat, to a soon-to-be expat, to a full-fledged, real-

life expat in Italy and you hate it … so what? You will always have a home back home you can return

to, along with the satisfaction, courage and self-assurance it takes to make the plunge and live a life

most people only dream of living.

About the author:

Cherrye Moore is an American freelance writer who has lived in southern Italy since 2006. In 2007,

she and her Calabrese husband opened Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast and in 2009 they launched My

Bella Vita Travel Services in Catanzaro, Calabria. For more about her transition into life as an expat

in Italy, visit her website, My Bella Vita or read her postings on expat life at

AffordableCallingCards.net.