CIG Wage Support Counts as Income for Renewing Your Residence Permit
On Cassa Integrazione and need to renew your permit? CIG counts as employment income. Here are the income thresholds, documents, and the full procedure.
In a nutshell
If you are a non-EU worker in Italy and your employer has placed you on Cassa Integrazione (CIG / CIGO / CIGS) (state-funded temporary wage support when a company suspends or reduces work), you do not risk losing your work-based residence permit. Italian law treats CIG as equivalent to your normal wages: your employment contract is not broken, and you are still legally an employee. The wage support paid by INPS (Italy's social-security agency — pensions, unemployment, family benefits) counts as taxable income and adds to the months when you worked normally, helping you meet the income threshold the Questura (police headquarters — also issues residence permits) requires.
At a glance
| Cost | Obtaining certificates is free. The permit renewal itself costs between €76.46 and €146.46 (€16 marca da bollo + €30.46/€100 payment slip + €30.46 postal kit) |
| Timeline | Submit your application at least 60 days before your current permit expires. The new permit takes 60–180 days to arrive |
| Where in Rome | Questura di Roma — Ufficio Immigrazione, Via Teofilo Patini 23. Application submission: any Post Office Sportello Amico |
| Documents | Expiring permit, passport, Certificazione Unica (CU), last 6 months' pay slips, employer letter confirming CIG |
Why CIG counts as income
Art. 3 of D.Lgs. 148/2015 establishes that CIG replaces or supplements your wages. This means it is employment income, subject to IRPEF (Italian personal income tax) withholding, and it appears in the annual Certificazione Unica (CU) — the Italian equivalent of a year-end earnings statement. It also counts towards your pension record, because notional social-security contributions (contributi figurativi) accrue during CIG.
For residence-permit purposes, Circolare del Ministero dell'Interno n. 5856/2014 makes a crucial point: CIG does not break the employment relationship. When you go to the Questura, you are not "unemployed" — you are an employee who is temporarily suspended from active work.
One thing to communicate clearly: CIG is not unemployment benefit. If you describe yourself as "without work," you create confusion and risk delays. The correct framing is: you are on Cassa Integrazione, your employment contract is still active.
The income threshold you need to meet
The Questura checks that your annual income reaches at least the value of the assegno sociale (Italy's basic social allowance). For 2024 the threshold is €6,947.33 per year (€534.41 × 13 months, per Circolare INPS n. 32/2024).
If you have dependants, the threshold increases:
| Household composition | Minimum annual income required |
|---|---|
| Worker alone | €6,947.33 |
| Worker + 1 family member | €10,420.99 |
| Worker + 2 family members | €13,894.66 |
| Worker + 3 family members | €17,368.32 |
| Worker + 4 or more family members | €20,841.99 |
(Check the updated figures each year in the relevant INPS circular.)
What counts towards the total: gross salary for months worked, gross taxable CIG, sick pay and maternity pay, NASpI (Italy's unemployment benefit), thirteenth- and fourteenth-month bonuses, and performance bonuses. All of these are IRPEF-taxable and appear in your CU total.
The Certificazione Unica (CU): your key document
The CU is the tax certificate that records everything you earned in the year as an employee. For workers on CIG there are two scenarios:
Conguaglio payment (the employer advances CIG in your pay slip and then recovers it from INPS): you receive a single CU from your employer, covering both your normal wages and the CIG periods.
Direct INPS payment (INPS pays you directly, bypassing the employer): you receive two separate CUs — one from your employer for the months you received a normal wage, one from INPS for the CIG portion. You must bring both to the Questura.
To obtain your INPS CU, you have several options:
- Online at inps.it → "MyINPS" → "Certificazione Unica cittadino" (login with SPID, CIE, or CNS)
- INPS Mobile app
- A Patronato (free union-run office helping with social-security and immigration paperwork) — they can download it for you
- INPS contact centre: 803 164 from a landline (free), request postal delivery to your address
The CU is available by 16 March of the year following the one it covers.
You can also request an Estratto Conto Contributivo on MyINPS, which shows the notional contributions accrued during CIG. It is not mandatory, but it clearly demonstrates the continuity of your employment relationship and is handy if the Questura has any doubts.
How to apply for renewal
Gather your documents in advance. The minimum lead time is 60 days before your current permit expires.
Documents to prepare:
- Expiring residence permit (original and photocopy)
- Valid passport
- Codice Fiscale (Codice Fiscale — Italian tax ID)
- 4 recent passport-size photos
- €16 marca da bollo
- Certificazione Unica for the last year (from employer and, if on direct INPS payment, from INPS as well)
- Pay slips for the last 6 months, with the CIG line item clearly visible
- Letter from your employer confirming the ongoing employment relationship, the CIG period, and the reason for it
- Modello 23 (renewal application form) filled in
- INPS contributory statement (optional but recommended)
Submission procedure:
- Pick up the free postal kit at any Post Office Sportello Amico
- Fill in Form 1 (personal details) and Form 2 (reason: subordinate employment)
- Attach photocopies of all documents
- Send the kit and pay: €30.46 processing fee + €70 (annual permit) or up to €100 (biennial permit) + €30.46 postal kit + €16 marca da bollo
- You will receive a postal receipt with your Questura appointment
- Attend your appointment at Questura di Roma — Via Teofilo Patini 23, for fingerprinting
- Collect your permit after 60–180 days
The postal receipt is your proof of regular status while you wait for the renewed permit.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving it to the last minute. If your CIG is still running when your permit expires, you are in the middle of a complex bureaucratic process. Applying 60 days early gives you time to gather everything and deal with any requests for additional documents.
- Forgetting the INPS CU. Workers on direct INPS payment receive two separate CUs. Bringing only one to the Questura can make your income look lower than it actually is. Always check on MyINPS whether INPS has issued a CU in your name.
- Losing or misfiling pay slips. The "Cassa Integrazione" line must be legible. Keep 12 consecutive pay slips — they show the continuity of employment through the CIG months.
Special cases
Your CIG income falls below the threshold? The Questura may grant a conditional renewal (reduced to 1 year) or ask for additional income documentation. If you have a spouse or cohabiting partner with income, your combined incomes count. A Patronato can help you put together the strongest possible application.
Your employer dismissed you at the end of CIGS? You may be entitled to NASpI (if you meet the requirements). Your work permit can be converted to a "permit for awaiting employment" for 1 year, provided you register with the Centro per l'Impiego (public employment centre). NASpI counts towards the income threshold just as CIG does.
Applying for a long-term EU resident permit? CIG is included in the income calculation for the previous 5 years. INPS can provide the data directly to the Questura on request.
Want to sponsor family reunification while on CIG? CIG counts as employment income for the family reunification nulla osta (authorisation). The required threshold is the assegno sociale plus 50% for each family member joining you.
You found a new permanent job while still on CIG? Your permit can be converted to reflect the new employment relationship within 60 days of signing the contract. The CU will include both the CIG income and the new salary.
Where to get help in Rome
Questura di Roma — Ufficio Immigrazione Via Teofilo Patini 23, 00155 Roma (Tiburtino area). Counter hours: Mon–Fri 08:30–12:30, by appointment or with postal receipt only. Switchboard: 06 46861. Case status: portale immigrazione.
Free Patronato offices in Rome:
- ACLI Roma — Via Marcora 18-20, tel. 06 5840501
- INCA-CGIL Roma — Via Buonarroti 51, tel. 06 4673.1
- ITAL-UIL Lazio — Via Boncompagni 19, tel. 06 47207.1
- INAS-CISL Roma — Via Pio IV 35, tel. 06 5036.1
- Casa dei Diritti Sociali — Via dei Frentani 4/D, tel. 06 4467149
- Centro Astalli — Via degli Astalli 14a, tel. 06 69925099
INPS Roma: contact centre 803 164 (free from a landline) or 06 164 164 from a mobile. Personal area: MyINPS with SPID or CIE.
Official sources
- Polizia di Stato — Permesso di soggiorno
- Polizia di Stato — Permit renewal
- Ministry of the Interior — Residence permit
- INPS — Certificazione Unica for citizens
- INPS — Cassa Integrazione Ordinaria (CIGO)
- INPS — Cassa Integrazione Straordinaria (CIGS)
- Immigration Portal — case status
- Normattiva — D.Lgs. 286/1998 (TUI)
- Normattiva — D.Lgs. 148/2015
Legal references: D.Lgs. 286/1998 (TUI) artt. 5, 9, 22, 29; DPR 394/1999; D.Lgs. 148/2015 art. 3; Circolare Ministero Interno n. 7170/2007; Circolare Ministero Interno n. 5856/2014; Circolare INPS n. 32/2024.