Italy · Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Quick answer
Italian employment is shaped by national collective agreements (CCNL), which set minimum pay by sector — there is no statutory minimum wage. Employees get at least four weeks' holiday, accrue TFR severance, and enjoy dismissal protections. Social security is via INPS, and disputes go to the labour judge (Giudice del Lavoro).
Italian employment is governed by national labour law, collective bargaining, social-security registration and payroll withholding. Employers normally register workers with social-security and employment systems before work starts.
- Employment terms often depend on the applicable national collective labour agreement (CCNL).
- INPS manages social-security contributions; INAIL covers workplace accident insurance.
- Foreign workers must align employment status with the correct visa/residence-permit basis.
Step-by-step
- 1
Identify your CCNL and contract type
Your pay and conditions come from the applicable national collective agreement (CCNL); confirm whether your contract is permanent or fixed-term.
- 2
Know your pay and hours rights
There is no statutory minimum wage, but the CCNL sets minimum pay levels, working hours and overtime; you usually get a 13th (and sometimes 14th) monthly salary.
- 3
Understand leave entitlements
You are entitled to at least four weeks' paid holiday a year, plus public holidays and paid leaves.
- 4
Register with INPS and accrue TFR
You are enrolled with the social-security institute (INPS), and you accrue TFR (trattamento di fine rapporto) paid on leaving.
- 5
Know the dismissal rules
Dismissal requires just cause or justified reason; protections and remedies depend on firm size and hire date (the 'tutele crescenti' regime).
- 6
Resolve disputes at the labour court
Attempt conciliation and, if unresolved, bring claims to the labour judge (Giudice del Lavoro).
Checklist
- Applicable CCNL + contract type
- CCNL minimum pay + 13th/14th salary
- Working hours + overtime (per CCNL)
- ≥4 weeks' holiday + public holidays
- INPS enrolment + TFR accrual
- Dismissal cause/reason + tutele-crescenti remedies
- Anti-discrimination protections
- Dispute route (Giudice del Lavoro)
Official authorities
- Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali
Official labour ministry.
- INPS
National social-security institute.
- INAIL
Workplace accident insurance authority.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum wage in Italy?
There is no statutory minimum wage; minimum pay is set by the national collective agreement (CCNL) for your sector.
What is TFR?
Trattamento di fine rapporto is a severance amount that accrues throughout employment and is paid when you leave.
What is a 13th-month salary?
An extra monthly payment (tredicesima), and often a 14th, paid under most CCNLs on top of regular salary.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Italian Government — Official portal of the Italian Government
- Ministry of the Interior (residence) — Residence permits (permesso di soggiorno) and immigration
- Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) — Italian income tax, VAT, and tax code (codice fiscale)
- Visa for Italy (MAECI) — Visa requirements and applications from abroad