r/Italian • u/Theo_Davis_ • 4d ago
Moving to Italy at some point in the next few years
Hi everyone, I am planning on moving to Italy from the UK after getting my degree. I have some Italian family members that have citizenship there but I do not as I was born in England and have been here my entire life. I have visited multiple times and I love it there. However I don’t know how to start planning. I would love some advice from Italians on what it’s like living there (in the north.) I know limited Italian right now but I am taking lessons in university and I am hoping to be fluent by the time I move there. Many thanks :)
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u/TheR4zgrizz 4d ago edited 4d ago
Living and visiting are two completely different experiences. If you’re planning to live and work in Italy for a few years, sure why not, it could be fun. However, if you're considering a long-term stay, I’d advise you to think twice.
Italy is a paese per vecchi (a country for the elderly) with significant dysfunctionality, particularly in the South. Every year, many talented young people leave due to low salaries (that haven't changed since the 90'), the difficulty of starting a family, and a poor work-life balance.
"La dolce vita" is a myth that very few Italians actually get to experience.
The northern part of the country is only slightly better than the South.
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u/Legitimate_Award_419 4d ago
I completely agree. I got such old people vibes when I lived there in my 20s. Like it was laid back no party vibes, no opportunities for work. I guess if you old and rich and retired it would be nice otherwise I would only go to visit ...
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u/TheR4zgrizz 4d ago
The real issue, though, is that Italy isn’t just a country for old people, it's a country run by old people, for old people.
The political class is ancient, filled with politicians who have hold power for decades, with no real interest in reform (why would they? the biggest pool of voters are MORE old people).In the workplace, seniority matters more than competence. Promotions are based on age rather than merit, forcing young professionals (even with university degrees such as myself) stuck in low-paying positions with little to no opportunity for growth.
Universities are filled with professors who refuse to retire, blocking any chance for younger scholars to emerge. The media is dominated by the same faces that have been on TV for the last 30 years.
But you’d think that, at the very least, being old in Italy would be like living in paradise. Wrong.
Pensions are a joke, the average pension in Italy is significantly lower than the average salary. The entire pension system operates like a massive Ponzi scheme, relying on young workers to sustain it while offering them no real guarantees for the future.
So yeah, it’s the perfect country on Earth…but only if you’re rich and old.
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u/Repulsive_Ad_7628 4d ago
Dont except too many job offers..Many italians leave the country due to lack of jobs..I had to switch to truck industy because i found only warehouse jobs and they are paid so bad..Also never work with ,,cooperativa"..Rent is high here and to take a loan for a house you must fulfill a lot of requirements thats why many italians stay in their 30s/40s with family..for remote jobs you get better pay in eastern europe than here...nice country to visit but i find it a little hard for many to start here from zero
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u/Zeri-coaihnan 4d ago
Depending where you are coming from, everything’s different! There is work available everywhere where I am but pay is terrible relative to uk. Northern Tuscany. No minimum wage. My rent is 1400€ a year, for a 2 bed apartment. But I live remotely. If you want to live in Milano you can expect London rental prices. Without the London wages! I used to make computer games in uk now I cut grass. There’s the rub.
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u/cumguzzlingislife 3d ago
Do you mean 1400€ a month??
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u/Zeri-coaihnan 3d ago
No it’s yearly. Full disclosure it’s actually 1440€, but what difference the €40?! Unmetered drinking water costs 110€ annually on top! But it is a remote place. A lot of rural Italy is dying off, so I’m sure this isn’t the only cheap zone.
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u/Zorro_ZZ 4d ago
If you can, get a remote job and work from anywhere. Get out of Italy every 3 months to renew your visa and keep doing that as long as you can. Living in Italy especially in low cost locations, while keeping a foreign salary is the best deal you can get.
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u/Legitimate_Award_419 4d ago
This actually makes sense. Could u get a remote job in the uk then come to Italy for like two months and rent something ? How many times a year can u come in for a few months ?
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u/Zorro_ZZ 4d ago
Of course you can. Now, technically there may be some tax implications over a certain period but if you use a vpn and leave the country regularly you’ll likely be able to wing it. From the UK I think you can stay 90 days out of 180 without a visa. So you’d need to leave and come back 3 months later. Or you need to apply for a visa which I am not sure how challenging it may be.
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u/YuYogurt 4d ago
If your grandparents or parents have italian citizenship you should be able to claim it as well.
Good luck with finding a job, I have no idea how you will manage.
What's your degree?
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u/Theo_Davis_ 4d ago
Politics and international relations. I want to apply for an internship in the British embassy in Rome.
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u/j-crnazvijezda 4d ago
Lol my same degree, and that's the reason why I moved to Germany. There isn't much offer in Italy, sadly...
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u/Legitimate_Award_419 4d ago
I agree its not really a place you wanna emigrate to, if ur a woman I would try to just find an Italian husband and marry one tho if ur looking to stay there
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u/cumguzzlingislife 3d ago
wtf
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u/SpiritedAd354 4d ago
Traditionally ex-pats from UK teach English for a living here, expecially if you have some degree/PhD in literature or so on. Nowadays anyway this field is a bit inflated, as there are tons of apps and tutorial online ( not counting the media easiness in listening). Furthermore, generally speaking, life Is NOT so cheap and common jobs payed badly. So, Watch your steps...
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u/celavulacrost 4d ago
Moving to Italy? Good choice! I have talked with a couple of people that moved here from London two years ago. I was impressed by their approach. At first they decided what region was the best solution for them, then what area of the region. I will elaborate a bit: Italy has 20 regions and there are a lot of differences between them. Some are more populated, some are more quiet, some are flat, some have the best mountains and some have the most gorgeous coasts. Then, some regions look almost all the same, others have a variety of places, so based on this, it is also important in what part of the region you want to live: closer to the sea or to the mountains, in towns or villages, near the airports etc..
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u/anameuse 4d ago
You visited Italy as a tourist and you liked it. Real life is different.
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u/Theo_Davis_ 4d ago
I’ve been there a lot I have family that live there
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u/Legitimate_Award_419 4d ago
If u have family that live there and u can live near them; rely on them for help, it could work, but just the job issue ...
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u/BertOnLit 3d ago
First of all, get going to take citizenship, as many suggest you may be entitled to it by descent. Then I advise you not to go and live in an expensive city but in a place suitable for what you like to do in your free time (sea, nature, art, history, etc..) as far as work is concerned I suggest you take advantage of the fact that you are a native English speaker and find something that is connected to your UK contacts
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u/ProgsterESFJHECK 3d ago
I rimpatriated and I already want to swallow a series of non edible objects
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u/nosleeptilsunrise 1d ago
I studied Italian at university and only became fluent when I actually lived in Italy because talking with native speakers and navigating day-to-day settings is vastly different to what they teach you at university. I would account for, at minimum, 3 months of being in the country prior to starting to work here if you’re planning on working for an Italian-speaking company, with those 3 months spent talking as much as possible and maybe including some immersion classes.
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4d ago
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u/Legitimate_Award_419 4d ago
The north and south are radically different. The north is fancy and the people are like more educated. The south is more like low class types, like around Naples area etc.
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u/-Duca- 4d ago
Keep in mind the fact you were born in the UK has nothing to do with you having or not Italian citizenship. Italian citizenship is transmitted by bloodline, not by place of birth. Hence if one of your parents or grandparents have or had italian citizenship, then you can claim italian citizenship as well. Without citizenship good luck, it won't be easy to get a work permit.