Internships in Italy

However, it is important to note that in Italy, internships don't always lead directly to a job. Recent statistics highlight that just one in ten internships in Italy will end up in full-time employment.

Good to know:

A good knowledge of English, along with other languages like Mandarin, Japanese, and French, is widely seen as an advantage, particularly in large multi-national companies.

A good command of the Italian language is usually always a necessity unless otherwise specified.

Types of internship

The most common types of internship in Italy are the Tirocini Curriculari, which contributes to a student's final grade, and the Tornicini Extracurriculari, which is aimed at enhancing a student's education without impacting their final grade.

Important:

Once you have left university, it is possible to find internships in Italy. However, you may need to find an Ente Promotore (host institution) such as the Sportellostage or a Centro per L'impiego (job centre).

Regulations

Like most countries, the vast majority of internships in Italy are unpaid or poorly paid. Since interns are not regular employees, they are required to have constant supervision from an appointed mentor, who will monitor the candidate throughout the internship.

The internship cannot legally last longer than six months, and some regions have imposed a minimum term for internships. In Liguria for instance, internships can last no less than two months.

Good to know:

Italy imposes strict regulations on the number of interns allowed at one time in any one organisation, although these differ from region to region. For example, in Lombardy, a company of 6-20 people is entitled to two interns while in Tuscany a company of 19 people or more can be made up of 10% interns.

How to find an internship in Italy

Most internships are advertised online. Platforms like Repubblica degli Stagisti, La Stampa, and local.it publish adverts for internships, so it is worth checking for updated posts regularly.

Large multinational corporations like EY, Intel, JPMorgan, and Bosch also regularly offer internships in larger Italian cities to international young people.

Alternatively, you could use an internship recruitment agency like FourStars or Europe Internships. You might also find it useful to use a placement agency such as IESAbroad which offers internships in Rome and Milan, Global Experiences which offers internships in Milan and the Istituto Europeo which offers internships in Florence.

Erasmus offers work experience and volunteering opportunities for undergraduates and postgraduates for 3-12 months.

If you are keen to gain work experience in a particular field or sector, you should also consider contacting companies directly. For example, if you want to work in journalism, contact regional media and online media outlets speculatively and put yourself forward as a candidate. While competition for work is fierce, all associations, private, and public institutions are legally eligible to offer internships, so companies may look upon you as a favourable asset to the company.

What documents will you need to start your internship?

All foreigners, with the exception of EU citizens, will need to obtain a visa before moving to Italy. All foreigners will also need to provide:

• Codice Fiscale (tax code). Register with the nearest Agenzia dell' Entrate and make sure you have your passport, permesso di soggiorno if you are from outside the EU, and the form from the Agenzia delle Entrate website, which can be found here.
• Proof of residency if you are an EU citizen, and a work visa if you are not from the EU.
• Health insurance

EU citizens, for their part, just need to produce their identity card and a tax code.

Useful links:

Europe Internships
Go Abroad
Target Jobs
Internships Italy
Repubblica Stagisti
La Stampa
thelocal.it
FourStars
IESAbroad
Global Experiences
Istituto Europeo
Erasmus