Job Discussion Forums

[VonMielke]

Hi There

Im an Australian trying to organise a work permit to teach in Italy. I have a school near Piacenza that wants to employ me. We have been working together to find a solution but being a poor, non-EU passport holding Australian, its proving to be near impossible and challenging, to say the least.

The prospective employer went to the Direzione del Lavoro and Questura to apply for a "teachers" permit but apparently the quota for that area had already been filled. We tried as a translator but my qual's (Bachelor of Social Science and Diploma of Education) are not sufficient. We're currently in the process of trying to get one as a "domestic helper", as apparently I can change my job status after a month or two. Im not bad with a vacuum cleaner anyway, just in case.......

With this possible solution though, there is an issue of time (the quota is almost full) and the Italian postal system has let me down, so I'm not particularly hopeful.

Even though Im not hopeful, Im bloody determined.

The prospective employer mentioned a Partita Iva earlier back in the saga and when I enquired at the Italian consulate in Sydney, I was pretty much laughed at.

As time goes on, one learns more as they sift through the mountains of rubbish on the internet. From what I can tell, it is quite possible to do. You just need a lawyer and an accountant to help you set-up a company/sole tradership/partita iva ??(what is the correct interpretation btw?). Is this correct?

What I really would like to know is; how hard is it to do, how long does it usually take, what is an approximate cost, are there quota's, are people often refused and is it possible for Australian wishing to set-up. Im also hoping to distribute Australian native products, so maybe is it worth setting up under this guise?

Any help that anyone can provide will most deeply appreciated.

Cheers

Adrian

P.S. A working holiday visa will not suffice as I will only able to work for any given company for 3 months at a time. She wants me for 12. The student visa also does not look very attractive and quite problematic, so a partita iva is it.

[Teacher in Rome]

A partita IVA is roughly equivalent to a vat / sales tax registration number. The idea is that when you invoice a client, you slap on an extra 20% for IVA (sales tax) and every three months, pay the IVA collected to the government. It's normally quick to get, and you can either do it yourself, if your Italian is good enough, or ask an accountant to do it for you. You'll need your codice fiscale before you can do this, though.

You don't need to set yourself up as a company (so you won't need a lawyer). Many partita IVA holders are "libera professionista" - i.e. self.employed professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, some teachers, translators etc. I don't think that there's a quota per area for partita IVAs, but you do need to specify what area you are working on. I doubt you can have one partita IVA that covers both language teaching and importing goods.

The question remains, however, about your non-EU status. I have no idea whether non-EU can set up with partita IVA in Italy. Your best bet would be the Italian consulate nearest you. Hopefully they can give you advice.

Good luck!

[VonMielke]

Thanks very much Teacher in Rome. Your help is most appreciated even though you can't answer that elusive non-EU status question. Anyone out there know about this?

Actually, what is the general distribution and composition of ESL teachers in Italy? Is it mostly EU citizens (I.e. UK or Ireland) holding ESL jobs or is there are fair smattering of Aust/NZ/US/Canadian teachers. Speak up if there are, help me!!!!!!!!

Just another quick question. Teacher in Rome, you mentioned that I must have a codice fiscale. When I recently completed the application for "domestic help" work permit contract, I noticed a section on codice fiscale. My potential employer told me only to sign the form, she had to complete the rest. So it appears that the employer organises this for you? I assume it is an "employee number", but is it registered with the national government? If so, I assume it is like our equivalent, the Tax File Number. This must be quoted when starting any new job. I guess its like a national ID number.

As a self employed professional, can I obtain a codice fiscale without already having a job or work permit? Anyone know the procedure?

Anyway, thanks again Teacher in Rome. By the way, the Italian consulate in Sydney is about as helpful in providing assistance and advice as George Bush's policies are in acheiving harmony throughout the world.

[Teacher in Rome]

Hi again!

You apply in person for your codice fiscale from the nearest Mnistry of the Economy office to where you live in Italy. The codice fiscale is your own personal tax number, and it accompanies Italians from birth. It does not depend on your employer. You'll need one for everything you do in Italy - from getting paid legally, to opening a bank account, setting up a P Iva etc.

To be honest, it sounds highly dubious for a potential employer to tell you he / she'll sort out your cod fiscale. Almost as if this is not going to happen, but that you will get paid in the black.

The process of getting one is simple - you tun up at the Finance Ministry's office with your passport. They enter your details into a computer, give you a printout of your number, then send you a plastic card with the number on a month or so later. You'll need an address to which they send you this number. Again, I don't know if they hand out numbers to non-EU people who don't have visas etc.

Most English teachers are EU, but there quite a few Australian and American teachers - generally those who have dual nationality, or who are married to Italians.

Have you tried the Australian embassy in Italy? Maybe they're more helpful?

[jnesta1]

Hi TIR,

I continue to be impressed with both your integrity in answering questions on this forum, and the breadth of your knowledge. Very nice. Thank you.

You seem to be fluent in Italian. Did you have that skill before going to Italy, or aquire it once there? I've taken 2 semesters so far, and can't wait to take more, before I make the big move...though that date is yet TBA.

To perhaps clarify, and not knowing if you're American, but it sounds like teh codice fiscale referred to above is very much like our American Social Security number? basically an ID number used for evrything here.

Great weekend to you,

Jeff

[Gregorio]

I don't think it's too difficult to get a codice fiscale. Last year I was studying in Rome so I purchased a cell phone at the local electronic store. I'm from the US and I was given a codice fiscale for this process.

I don't know if this is standard procedure or not, but I did provide my passport and local address and other information to get the sim card. Then I was given a document outlining my SIM activation and on that document was the codice fiscale.

[Teacher in Rome]

Thanks for your kind comments Jeff!

It sounds from your experiences Gregorio, that getting a codice fiscale is straightforward even if you're non-EU.

I wonder about getting a P Iva though, and what sort of documentation you need apart from a codice fiscale. Perhaps you need to be a resident, which presupposes that you have a permesso di soggiorno - difficult to obtain if you aren't EU.

You could perhaps find out from the Ministry of Finance site.

[jnesta1]

You're most welcome TIR.

Is anyone else having trouble gettign notifications from the site when somone posts a response? I used to get notified regularly, but for some reason seem to have slipped "below the radar" latley.

Thanks.

JN