As noted previously, EU citizens have the right of free movement throughout the EU. Further, the normal requirement of first applying at an Italian consular post for a business visa is waived for non-EU citizens of certain countries. The permitted scope of activity is the same as for a business visa, and the length of stay is up to 90 days, without the possibility of extending or changing status. A departure ticket is also required.

The following countries are presently qualified under this program:

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Timor-Leste, El Salvador, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Guatemala, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Kiribati, Malaysia, Macau SAR, Mauritius, Mexico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Northern Marianas, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vanuatu and Venezuela

The list of qualified countries is subject to change. The regularly updated list can be found here: http://www.esteri.it.

Foreign nationals coming to Italy for short-term business trips can use a business visa. Generally, the foreign national must be traveling to Italy for "economic or commercial purposes, to make contacts with local businesses or carry out negotiations, to learn, to implement or to verify the use of goods bought or sold via commercial contracts and industrial cooperation" to obtain a business visa.

Foreign nationals cannot be employed in Italy while on a business visa. Each individual can have one 90-day business visa in any given 180-day period. Business visas also usually allow multiple entries into the Schengen Area while valid. This visa requires the following:

• A return-trip booking, ticket or proof of available personal transport
• Proof of economic means of support
• Health insurance with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000 (to cover emergency hospital and repatriation expenses)
• A specific business purpose for the trip
• The applicant's status as a financial-commercial operator

Another possibility that exists for non-EU nationals hired by an Italian company is the EU Blue Card. The EU Blue Card is an existing visa created at EU level granting a fast-track process to work in Italy with a company based in Italy. Based on the previous legislation, the workers that were beneficiaries of this special regime were high-level managers and highly skilled workers.

Based on recent legislation, beneficiary workers are now not only those who hold a university degree with at least three years of studies, but also those who fulfill one of the following criteria:

• Have a post-secondary professional qualification of at least three years or correspondent to at least level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework pursuant to Legislative Decree 13/2013 (published in OJ No. 20 of 2018)
• Have five years of professional experience in the sector relevant to the job offer
• Have three years of professional experience gained in the seven years preceding the application for managers and specialists in the information and communication technology sector

The minimum duration of the employment relationship with an EU Blue Card is six months. The minimum annual salary threshold is the minimum gross annual salary defined by the National Collective Labor Agreement applied by the employer in Italy.

During the first 12 months, the worker hired with an EU Blue Card has some restrictions: They cannot change employer or carry out duties other than those for which they have been hired.

EU Blue Card holders may carry out self-employment activities concurrently with the subordinate activities.

Holders of a Blue Card issued by another EU member state can enter and stay in Italy for a maximum of 90 days in a time frame of 180 days.

After staying for 12 months in another member state, holders of a Blue Card issued by another EU member state can enter Italy and obtain an EU Blue Card, if the expected period of stay will be above 90 days, without the need to apply for a visa. However, a work authorization issued by the Italian immigration authority remains obligatory.

If the conditions for family reunification are met and the complete applications are submitted at the same time, the family member's residence permit is issued at the same time as the EU Blue Card.

This is a special type of permit for non-EU citizens, regularly employed and paid by foreign employers, who come to Italy temporarily for employment reasons through secondment to perform their activities under a contract (contratto di appalto) executed between their employer and an Italian client.

These permits are valid for a maximum period of two years and may be renewed. Additionally, this type of work permit is also granted independently of quota restrictions that otherwise generally apply to non-EU citizens.

A permit holder's spouse and children (that enter Italy before reaching the age of majority or who cannot autonomously provide for their own needs even if above the majority age) can obtain work and residence permits independently from the quota system for the same validity period as the work permit.

Employers must undertake to give foreign national employees wages, working conditions and benefits equal to those normally offered to similarly employed workers in Italy.