How do you hire an Italian employee in 2026?

1. Issue the offer letter

   Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, gross salary, start date, CCNL reference, probation of up to 6 months, and any conditions such as work authorisation or references.

2. Complete the work-authorisation check

   Check the identity document for EU and EEA nationals, or verify the permesso di soggiorno for non-EU nationals, before the employee starts. Record the document details and retain a copy.

3. Issue the written contract

   The contratto di lavoro must be signed by both parties before the start date. Teamed's standard Italian contract references the applicable CCNL and covers all required terms. Clients choose commercial elements; Teamed signs as the legal employer.

4. Complete INPS registration and onboarding admin

   File the UNILAV hiring communication with INPS on or before day one, collect the codice fiscale and IBAN, and enrol the employee in any CCNL-required supplementary pension fund. This runs across days one to seven.

5. Issue the first payslip and file contributions

   Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month, issue the busta paga to the employee, and file the monthly F24 contribution payment with INPS and the tax authority by the 16th of the following month.

Three traps to avoid in Italian offer letters:

• Quoting net salary. Italian employees are accustomed to net-pay discussions, but committing to a net figure in writing creates problems when IRPEF rates or INPS contributions change. Quote gross only and reference the CCNL minimum pay grade.
• Omitting the CCNL reference. Every Italian employment contract must state the applicable national collective agreement. An offer letter that does not identify the CCNL leaves the candidate and the employer without a reference for notice periods, pay grades, and working conditions. Identify the CCNL before sending the offer.
• Understating the tredicesima. The 13th monthly salary instalment (paid at Christmas) is a standard obligation across virtually all Italian CCNLs. Some sectors also pay a 14th instalment in summer. The offer letter must quote total annual compensation in a way that makes clear whether the tredicesima is included or additional.

Teamed's standard Italian offer letter template covers all required ground. Clients choose commercial elements; Teamed identifies the correct CCNL and holds the legal-employer position.

EU and EEA nationals

Citizens of EU and EEA member states have the right to work in Italy without a separate work permit. The employer checks the identity document (passport or national identity card) and retains a copy. No government portal is required for this check. EU citizens who plan to stay longer than three months must register with the local municipality (comune), but this is the employee's obligation, not a condition for starting work.

Non-EU nationals

Third-country nationals must hold a valid permesso di soggiorno that authorises work (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro subordinato). The employer checks the document before the start date and records the permit number, type, and expiry date. A follow-up check is required before the permit expires.

Most non-EU work permits require the employer to initiate the process through the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione (Single Window for Immigration) under the annual immigration quota (decreto flussi). The quota system means planning well ahead of the intended start date is essential for non-EU hires.

Ongoing checks for time-limited permits

For employees on time-limited permits, Teamed tracks the expiry date and triggers a renewal reminder ahead of the deadline. A permit lapse is a compliance breach. Teamed manages the calendar so no renewal is missed.

What the Italian written employment contract must include:

• Names and addresses of both the employer and the employee
• Start date of employment
• Place of work and, where the employee works at multiple locations, a note to that effect
• Job title (qualifica) and brief description of the role
• The applicable CCNL (contratto collettivo nazionale di lavoro) and the employee's classification within it
• Gross base salary and all components, including the tredicesima (and quattordicesima where the CCNL provides one), pay interval, and payment method
• Working hours per day and per week (the standard maximum week is 40 hours under Legislative Decree 66/2003)
• Annual paid leave entitlement (at least 4 weeks under the EU Working Time Directive as implemented by Legislative Decree 66/2003)
• Probation period, if agreed (up to 6 months), and the fact that either side can end the contract during probation with no notice
• Notice provisions after probation, as set by the applicable CCNL (no statutory minimum applies; CCNL determines the period by seniority and category)
• Pension and social security: reference to INPS and any supplementary pension fund (fondo pensione complementare) applicable under the CCNL
• Reference to the disciplinary and grievance procedures in the CCNL or the company's internal regulations

Italy does not use a single equivalent of the UK Section 1 statement or the German Nachweisgesetz. The obligation to deliver a written contract is derived from the applicable CCNL and from Legislative Decree 104/2022, which implemented the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive. That decree requires the employer to provide written information on all key terms on or before the first day of work.

Teamed's standard Italian employment contract satisfies all current requirements and references the applicable CCNL. Clients choose commercial elements such as salary and any supplementary benefits. Teamed signs as the legal employer.

Key source: Italian Ministry of Labour: Terms and Conditions of Employment.

Real HR and legal experts handle your Italian hires, from identifying the correct CCNL through every monthly INPS payment and annual tredicesima calculation. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.

EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. An Italian contractor who converts to full employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your Italian hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Italy hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of Italian employment law.

Key sources: INPS (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale), Italian Ministry of Labour, and Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency).