Hiring a Foreign Caregiver or Housekeeper in Italy: How to Make It Legal

In a Nutshell

Hiring a non-EU caregiver (badante) or housekeeper (colf) comes down to one key question: where is she and what documents does she have? If she's already in Italy with a work-eligible residence permit, all you need is a written contract and a notification to INPS (Italy's social-security agency). If she's still abroad — or her permit doesn't allow work — you have to go through the Decreto Flussi (annual quota decree allocating non-EU work visas): an online application, a wait for the nulla osta, a visa, and then a residence permit. Either way, the employment relationship is always governed by the CCNL Lavoro Domestico (national collective agreement for domestic workers), with all the rights and contributions that entails.

At a Glance

Initial cost	~€110–260 for the employer (revenue stamps, housing-suitability certificate, admin fees); ~€206–392 for the worker (visa, postal kit, residence permit)
Total timeline	6–12 months from the Decreto Flussi click day; a few days if the worker already has a valid permit
Where in Rome	SUI Prefettura: Via Ostiense 131/L; Questura: Via Teofilo Patini 23; assistance offices: ACLI Colf, Domina, Federcolf
Employer documents	Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID), SPID/CIE, income declaration (min. €30,000 taxable income), housing-suitability certificate
Worker documents	Passport (at least 18 months remaining validity), apostilled birth certificate, criminal-records certificate

Three Scenarios: Everything Depends on the Starting Point

Scenario A — She Already Has a Valid Residence Permit

If the worker is already in Italy with a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit for non-EU citizens) that permits employment — such as a work, family, long-term EU resident, or international-protection permit — the process is straightforward:

1. Check the type of permit: it must state "lavoro" (work) or an equivalent designation. Tourist, transit, medical-treatment, and religious permits do not allow employment.
2. Draw up a written domestic-work contract in line with the CCNL.
3. Notify INPS of the hire by midnight the day before work starts: go to inps.it → "Lavoratori domestici → assunzione" (Domestic workers → hire).

From that point, quarterly contributions and all CCNL entitlements kick in automatically.

Scenario B — She Is Still Abroad (Decreto Flussi)

If the worker is outside Italy — or her permit doesn't cover employment — the route is the Decreto Flussi. This is the Italian government's annual decree setting quotas for non-EU work entries. The domestic and family-care sector has dedicated quotas, with priority given to households caring for elderly or disabled dependants who cannot live independently.

The "click day" is the single day when applications open on the portal nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it — usually February–March. Quotas run out within minutes, so preparation is everything.

Step 1 — Preparation (January–February, before the click day)

• Check the available domestic-sector quotas in the annual DPCM (Prime Minister's decree).
• Identify the worker: full name, passport number, nationality, country of residence.
• Confirm you have a taxable annual income of at least €30,000 — this is a hard requirement.
• If the worker will live with you (live-in), apply immediately for the certificato di idoneità abitativa (housing-suitability certificate) at the relevant Rome Municipio (municipio.roma.it): allow 30–60 days and budget ~€50–150.

Step 2 — Nulla Osta Application (click day)

• Log in to nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it with the employer's SPID (Italy's digital identity for accessing online public services) or CIE (Italian electronic ID card) — or delegate a CAF (free assistance offices for tax forms and benefits applications) or Patronato (free union-run office helping with social-security and immigration paperwork).
• Fill in the AS form for family assistance: the worker's details, the proposed contract, the pay, and whether accommodation is included.
• Pay the marca da bollo (revenue stamp you stick on official forms) of €16.
• Submit on the exact day and time set by the Ministry.

Step 3 — SUI Review and Nulla Osta (30–90 days)

The Sportello Unico Immigrazione (one-stop immigration desk at the Prefettura) at the Prefettura (regional state-government office representing the central state) di Roma (Via Ostiense 131/L) processes the application. It checks your income and housing qualifications, the criminal-records certificate, and your compliance with social-security contributions. If everything is in order, it issues the nulla osta (clearance) and forwards it to the Italian consulate in the worker's country.

Step 4 — Visa at the Consulate (approx. 30 days)

The worker books an appointment at the Italian consulate in her country, bringing her passport, a copy of the nulla osta, and personal documents (apostilled birth certificate, criminal-records certificate). She pays the consular fee (~€60–116). The consulate then issues the entry visa for dependent employment.

Step 5 — Arrival and Residency Contract (within 8 days of entry)

Within 8 days of entering Italy, employer and worker go together to the SUI to sign the contratto di soggiorno (stay contract). The SUI hands over the postal kit needed to apply for the residence permit.

Step 6 — Residence Permit (30–180 days)

The postal kit is sent from a post-office Sportello Amico counter. Total cost: €70.46–200 depending on permit duration + €30.46 revenue stamp + €30.46 kit fee + €14.62 issuance fee. The Questura (police headquarters — also issues residence permits) di Roma (Via Teofilo Patini 23) then calls the worker in for fingerprinting and photo.

Step 7 — INPS Notification

Notify INPS of the hire by midnight the day before the worker actually starts. From that moment, quarterly contribution payments begin.

Scenario C — EU Worker (Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, etc.)

No residence permit required. For stays of more than three months, the worker registers at the Anagrafe (civil-registry office at the Comune, handles residency) in Rome as an EU citizen, then you draw up the contract and notify INPS exactly as you would for any domestic worker.

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Showing up to the click day unprepared. Quotas vanish in minutes. The housing-suitability certificate, income verification, and the worker's documents must all be ready beforehand. A specialist CAF (ACLI Colf, Domina, Caf CGIL/CISL/UIL) can manage the whole application for you — budget €100–300.
2. Paying cash in hand (under the table). Penalties for employers are severe — up to 36 months in prison if the worker is undocumented. On top of that, you lose the right to deduct INPS contributions from IRPEF (Italian personal income tax) (up to €1,549.37/year) and the 19% tax credit on care costs for non-self-sufficient relatives (up to €2,100/year).
3. Using unlicensed middlemen. The only official channels are the SUI Prefettura portal, the Italian consulate, and the Questura. Anyone who promises an easy permit for a fee is operating illegally.

Special Cases

The household includes an elderly person with a disability certification or Law 104 status. The 2026 DPCM Flussi includes a special reserved quota for these situations. Document the condition with the INPS certification or the disability panel's report — the SUI gives you priority in the queue.

The employer is a pensioner with income below €30,000. The income requirement cannot be waived. Options include a joint employment arrangement with a family member who meets the income threshold, or hiring an EU worker (no Decreto Flussi needed).

The click day passed and quotas were already gone. Wait for the next click day. Some nationalities benefit from dedicated quotas under bilateral agreements (e.g. Ukraine, Moldova, Morocco) — check whether your worker qualifies.

The caregiver is already working informally in your home. This is a criminal-law risk for you as the employer. If she has a valid permit, regularise the employment immediately through INPS (Scenario A). If the permit has expired, consult a Patronato or immigration lawyer — you may need to wait for a future amnesty window.

You want to replace one caregiver with another who is already in Italy with a valid permit. End the first employment relationship with a written letter (domestic workers don't use the online dismissal procedure) and pay the TFR (severance pay accrued during employment in Italy). Then notify INPS of the new hire.

Official Sources

• Nulla Osta Work Portal (Flussi)
• Ministry of the Interior — Decreto Flussi
• Ministry of Labour — Decreto Flussi
• INPS — Domestic Workers Registration and Contributions
• Polizia di Stato — Residence Permit
• Prefettura di Roma — SUI
• Domina — Domestic Employers' Federation
• Normattiva — D.Lgs. 286/1998 (Consolidated Immigration Act)

Legal references: D.Lgs. 286/1998 (Consolidated Immigration Act), DPR 394/1999, DPCM Decreto Flussi (annual), DL 145/2024 conv. L. 187/2024 (Flussi 2026–2028), Legge 339/1958, CCNL Lavoro Domestico 8/9/2020, D.Lgs. 109/2012.