Canadian nationals can move to Italy from Canada following the rules on immigration which have been established between the immigration authorities of the two nations. Here, Canadians must be aware of the fact that the Italian law distinguishes between two main scenarios – arrivals for short-term (maximum 90 days) and long-term relocation. Our team of immigration lawyers in Italy can present more information on the subject and how this rule applies to Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents. We invite you to discover more details on this subject in this article.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Visas for short-term stays for Canadians in Italy | Not applicable |
Visas for immigration from Canada to Italy | For long-term stays (over 90 days), an individual can immigrate to Italy from Canada under visas such as: long-stay visa, Italian self-employment visa, scientific research visa, student visa, elective residence visa, family reunion visa, golden visa. |
Legal obligations upon arrival in Italy | Canadians who have been granted with an Italian visa are required to contact local police stations in maximum 8 days since their arrival, for the issuance of the residency permit. |
| Electronic visas available | Not at the moment, but starting with October 2025, Canadians will need to apply for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is an electronic document that must be obtained prior to the arrival (it is not a visa). |
| Main reasons to immigrate from Canada to Italy | Canadians can relocate to Italy for: job opportunities, investment, family reunification, study, research etc. |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the visa | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| What happens in the case the Italian authorities refuse the visa application? | The foreigner is entitled to appeal the decision in maximum 60 days since the Italian authorities issued their formal answer. |
| Fee charged for the issuance of long-term visas | They vary from $47.3 to $94.5 |
| Special rules for citizens of Canada | Canadian citizens can immigrate to Italy from Canada under the Work and Travel program (known as Italy-Canada Youth Exchange Program). It is addressed to Canadian nationals of 18 to 35 years old. |
| The procedure for permanent residency in Italy | A foreigner, Canadians included, can become an Italian permanent resident after living here for a period of at least 5 years. Italian language requirements are imposed as well. |
| Documents required for permanent residency application | Documents attesting the years of residency (visas and residence permits), papers showing the financial situation of the applicant, a clean police record, proof of accommodation in Italy, Italian language proficiency (A2 level minimum) |
| Reasons for which permanent residency can be granted in Italy | Permanent residency can be obtained based on having an employment contract in Italy, a business, an investment project, etc. It can also be granted to those who arrived here to reunite with their family members. |
| Right to permanent residency for refugees/asylum seekers (yes/no) | Yes |
| Immigration pathway for highly skilled persons | One can immigrate to Italy from Canada for skilled employment under the Blue Card. |
| Legal pathways to citizenship | By descent, by marriage or through naturalization |
For short-term stays, Canadian passport holders arriving from Canada to Italy can stay here without a visa as long as the duration of the visit is of 90 days in a period of 180 days. The purpose of the arrival is of no importance in offering this right, thus business reasons, short-term studies, traveling and so on, are all allowed.
For each particular case, one can move to Italy by following the basic immigration regulations (there are different legal requirements to be met when arriving here for short-term stays compared to the ones applied for long-term stays).
For short-term stays, the Italian legislation provides two main rules: the one where the foreigner is required to apply for a visa, and the one where the foreigner can simply arrive here without completing any visa formalities.
The latter situation applies to those who immigrate to Italy from Canada.
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Canadians arriving to Italy for short stays
According to the General Consulate of Italy in Toronto, Canadian citizens and persons who have obtained permanent residency in Canada can benefit from visa exemptions for some of the basic visa categories that are currently applicable under the Italian immigration law.
Please mind that there is a legal distinction between persons who are Canadian citizens and those who are Canadian permanent residents and this distinction can create differences in the visa requirements applied to such persons.
This can imply that a Canadian citizen can immigrate to Italy from Canada without the need to apply for a visa, while a person who is a Canadian permanent resident, who will arrive here for the same purpose and the same duration of stay, may need to obtain a visa.
The latter requirement is influenced by the nationality of the person who has become a Canadian permanent resident. For instance, Italy requires transit visas for the nationals of certain countries – this visa is not necessary for Canadian citizens, but for foreigners who are the holders of a Canadian Permanent Residence Card, this requirement can still apply.
The rule is always applied based on the nationality of the foreigner and this is why we recommend you to address our immigration lawyer in Italy, who is qualified to advise on the latest modifications appeared in this sense.
Arriving for employment in Italy
The law on immigration to Italy guarantees foreigners the right to work in this country, provided that they have complied with the basic requirements in this sense. Thus, foreigners, Canadians included, can arrive here for employment, but only after obtaining the appropriate visas.
The obligation to have a work visa in order to have the right to access theItalian employment market is imposed to most countries, exemptions being granted only to EU/EEA nationals. Just like in the case of the above-mentioned visa, the Work Holiday visa, Canadians who immigrate to Italy from Canada must apply for a D visa.
The application must be initiated before arriving to Italy, by completing the form Domanda di Visto Nazionale (D). The document contains information about the applicant (identification data, reason of arrival, current residency, etc.).
Along with this form, the Canadian applicant must submit a recent passport-size photo and a valid passport, which must be valid for at least 3 months after the date of expiration of the visa the person will be issued with.
Another important document that is part of the process of immigration to Italy is the Nulla Ostra, the authorization granted by the competent Italian authorities. Along with these papers, the applicant must make proof of paying the processing fee, which is currently EUR 116.
Can Canadians move to Italy from Canada for the Work Holiday Program?
Yes, Canadians are entitled to relocate to Italy for the purpose of entering the Work Holiday Program, an immigration program that aims at youth exchange amongst partner nations. Through it, foreigners can arrive here and visit Italy while working for a limited period of time. Our immigration lawyers in Italy have prepared a short description of the Work Holiday Program:
- the possibility of immigrating to Italy from Canada under this program appeared in 2006, when the two states signed a memorandum for a youth exchange program;
- through this, a total of 1250 Canadians can relocate to Italy for a limited period of time;
- the program is addressed solely to young persons who have an age of 18 to 35 years old;
- Canadians have to apply for a visa that will grant the right to live in Italy for a period of 12 months;
- given that the duration of stay is longer than 90 days, if the applicant receives the visa, after the arrival, in a period of maximum 8 days, the person must apply for a residency permit.
The Working Holiday Visa is included in the D visa category, which refers to visas that are issued for stays longer than 90 days. If you want to apply for a D visa, we invite you to get in touch with our immigration lawyers in Italy. They will present you all the legal formalities you should follow in case you want to immigrate to Italy. Below, you can discover the basic conditions for Canadians relocating to Italy.
Visa formalities for family reunification
Canadians can immigrate to Italyfor the purpose of reuniting with a close family member who lives in this country. The visa formalities are similar with the steps presented earlier, the main difference being the documentation that the Italian immigration officials will ask from the applicants.
Thus, the documents mentioned above will also be maintained for a visa issued for family reunification purposes (the passport, passport photo, the application form and the Nulla Ostra). To these, the applicant must add official documents that attest the family tie with the person who is living in Italy.
The foreign applicant must be a close family member, such as a spouse, child or parent of an Italian citizenor an EU citizen who is residing in Italy.
Permanent residency and citizenship in Italy
If you live long enough in Italy, you will also have the possibility to apply for citizenship. Citizenship in Italy can be obtained through naturalization in most cases, which is a long process that requires the foreigner to live here for a period of minimum 10 years. The process can be shorter if the foreigner qualifies for other types of citizenships, such as by marriage or by descent.
If you are a Canadian who wants to move to Italy on a permanent basis for the purpose of becoming a citizen, you will first need to obtain a permanent residence permit, which can be issued only after you have been living here for a period of 5 years. If you qualify for citizenship by descent, the years of minimum residency are reduced to only 3, and the same applies if you are married to an Italian national.
You are also entitled to residency through investments, through theGolden Visa in Italyprogram. The program can provide permanent residency, as initially it grants the right to residency for 2 years and, if the conditions of the investment are maintained, the investor can renew the visa for another 3 years, meeting the overall time required for permanent residency (5 years).
If you want to immigrate to Italy from Canada for investment purposes, please contact our team for step-to-step assistance on the visa application process.