Hello. My name is Marissa, nice to meet you all . So, I took my first trip to Italy (or any of Europe for that matter) recently, and of course, fell absolutely in love with everything Italian. I spent most of my two weeks in Florence, but got around to a few other areas as well; Siena, Rome, Pisa, San Gimignano, etc... Somewhere in the course of all of this, I made the decision that I was going to come back to Italy to live, and I wasn't going to wait forever. So i've put myself on the fast track to getting everything that I can in order to do this. The thing I am having problems with now is getting a proper work visa. Being a US citizen, this is a long and difficult process, and I understand that. However, I feel as if I cannot wait for some kind of job opportunity in Italy to come along eventually, because I know that it may not (probably won't) ever happen. I am moving to Italy, visa (work, tourist or otherwise) or not in mid July. I know that there are people living there illegaly and surviving, but no one is much talking about it on here. I'm willing, for a number of reasons, to do whatever it takes to live there. If anyone can offer any kind of advice, suggestions, help, or if you just want to yell at me about this, please either post a response to this, or email me personally.
Much appreciation,
Marissa
marissa1214@hotmail.com

You will find more info on Expats in Italy. This MB focuses on travel.

Hi Marissa -
Go to Cristina's site: http://www.expatsinitaly.com .
She has collected all you need to do to move/live/work in Italy and has an excellent forum for your questions, too.
Good luck.

And the winner is, for the fastest posting, Maureen! Though Colleen may have won without a damaged finger.

(sorry guys, couldn't help it.)

Marissa, this is just not the right forum for this topic. I assume you know about expatsinitaly - it is linked to from many places on Slow Travel, including at the bottom right of this page.

In general, you shouldn't expect to find much support for the attitude you're expressing: "I know it is illegal, but I'm going to do it anyway."

I will venture a guess that any job you might find will be very low-paying, and you will find living in Italy as a refugee, subject to deportation should you attract the attention of anyone in authority, much less enjoyable than your experience as a tourist able to enjoy the highlights of the country.

Shannon-

I was faster, but only because I omitted the closer "Good luck". It was a split second decision, but in the end I'm glad I did it.

I realize I may sound a bit on edge about all of this, but i've been researching and reading and getting more and more stressed about everything. I would really love to be able to do all of this legally. However, it is looking more and more hopeless with every new bit of information. I know this is a now or never situation for me, which is why my impatience is getting the better of me. I also posted my original message over at expats in italy, but thought maybe someone here might have a suggestion(s) as well. I realized in my haste I also left out the part about being able to get a tourist, or extended stay visa, but I would still like to be able to work. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about people working 'off the books' and what happens if you do get caught and that kind of thing. Thanks for your help and quick responses so far!
m

I understand your dilemma, because I have been there. It is getting very difficult to work in Italy illegally (not that I am advocating this - just stating a fact.) And it is very hard to get work from here before you go.

Check out this article.
A tourist visa may be your only option.

Even if you get that job, you could be checked on by the police anytime, and in case you are caught without a valid visa you will be deported to the US and prohibited to return to Italy for several years. The laws on immigration, which used to be strict, have become even stricter in the past few years, to the point that it is nearly impossible to immigrate legally. Probably your best solution is to vcome over with a touristic visa anbd search for a job while here (you can stay for thre months, after which you will have to return to the US for three more months) or, if you can, enroll in a University and get yourself a student visa, which will enbable you to work part.time (up to 20 hours per month). Once you are legally in Italy, with a small income, you canstart looking for a regular job in order to get your visa updated to a working visa. It must be said, though, that also the legal job market is quite deperately poor, right now, and the wages are quite ridiculus.

I agree with Alice. It doesn't sound as if you have exhausted all of the legal avenues before jumping to the illegal ones.

What is your educational background? Going as a student makes great sense. What about your professional background? What skills to you bring to the job market?

My educational background is in Photography. I went to a 2 year technical school for this. It wasn't an accredited College or University. However, I would love to be able to work in the ART photography field, but it doesn't yield much of an income. It's hard enough finding photography work in the US.
The highest level of work i've held in the US is as an administrative assistant. I also managed a Photo Lab a few years back. Any ideas?

Marissa,

I encourage you to think about pursuing further education in Italy. That way you'd be in the country legally, able to work part time as Alice pointed out, and preparing yourself for a career all at the same time. You could continue with photography or change fields if you don't think the employment opportunities in photography are sufficient.

Do you speak, read and/or write fluently in Italian? If not, there is at least one American University I know of in Rome that conducts classes in English. I'm sure there are others as well.

I would love to continue my education there, if I can work at the same time. It was my understanding based on the Italian Consulate in NYC's website that you cannot work if you are there on a student visa. If someone has a link or information to the contrary, please forward it to me. I currently do not fluently or even close to fluently speak Italian, but am slowly learning and would like to attend an intensive Italian course when I get to Italy, however student visas are not offered for those types of programs. I believe I can attend a school such as that on a tourist visa, however that doesn't help my desire to work while there as well. Any more information or ideas anyone can offer are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
marissa

Probably someone has already suggested this, but the following book is excellent for answering most, if not all of your questions:
Living, Studying, and Working in Italy: Everything You Need to Know to Live La Dolce Vita by Monica Larner
There are other books about living in Italy, but I think this one is frequently mentioned on the Expats website, and if you don't already have, is a great place to start.

-Krista

The best way I can see for this to work is if you have US-based self-employment where you can work remotely. A couple ideas in this vein - writer, computer programmer.

I wouldn't hazard a guess of how it works in terms of taxes and legality if you are a student in Italy on a student visa, with official residence in the US, doing work for American companies as if you were actually present in the US - definitely something to investigate.

Another long shot- if you are the grandchild of a European immigrant, you MAY be eligible for citizenship in that country.(depends on the country) For example, I am currently applying for Irish citizenship. If it works out, I can then live (and work) anywhere in the EU. Just thought I would throw this out in case it fits your situation.

Best of luck - I totally sympathize!

Forget about going intensive. That's no good if you are still building a basic knowledge of a foreign language. My plan would be to study for at elast one year in the Siena University for foreigners, commuting from Florence where you say you want to live (it's jus a one hour trip), the next year you may enlist of Accademia d'Arte in Florence or to a university-leve course in photography (I know several in Milano, but I am pretty sure there must obe at elast one in Florence too). This will allow you to live in itlay, work legally for 20 hours a week (maybe adda few hours of under the table jobs) and seek a "real" job that would grant you a working visa.

I came here in 1984, with no papers nothing...
it took me three years of going back and forth to finally get them.

Since you would need to study Italian and love fotography.. why don't you apply for a scholarship!
the Italian cultural Associations in American give them away all the time..

There are several foto schools in Florence, see if they take apprentices....

OR try to assist on a sumemr program for a school from American running programs here.

use Google..
Work is hard to come by and the cost of living has gone up a lot!
so bring tons of money!!!

Folks,
Marissa has cross posted this on the more appropriate Expats in Italy forum, so if any of you want to continue the discussion you can do so there. Thanks.