For those who have moved to Italy

Not totally sure what you want to know. If you need to move to Italy, there are lots of international shipping companies that can move your belongings to Italy. My wife works in logistics for a major multinational, I can give u all the info you need. If you are asking about ways to emigrate to Italy, there are two ways. One way is illegally the other way is legally. My first wife (also American) chose the first route. She eventually got lucky because Italy passed an amnesty law in the mid 1980's and she qualified because she was in the country illegally since the date specified by the law. Lots of her American friends in Florence did the same. In the early 1980's there wasn't a lot of immigration to Italy and Americans where the second largest contingent of illegal aliens in Florence (Filipinos I think were first). If you choose the legal way, the easiest way is through marriage, another way is to work for a US company or US Gov't agency that sends you there. Yet another way is to find an Italian company that sponsors you. They just need to demonstrate they can't find any local with your skills. You can also go as an entrepreneur who invests and creates jobs there. Don't know what the minimum requirements for that is. You can make your living in Italy in lots of ways, both as a self employed or employed person. Any profession and trade that exists in America exists also in Italy. I've known hundreds of foreign nationals, including Americans, working in Italy in a variety of jobs, from very low skilled to very high skilled. I'm currently employing 2 of them there (both from the Balkans). Most manual or lower skills jobs are done by foreigners. Italians like to work in cushy Government jobs where they can spend hours on coffee breaks at a bar. Those who don't work in Gov't are in high skilled jobs or are business owners employing immigrants.

I moved there in 2010 and returned in 2012. In my case I went over with an American company under a contract with the Italian Government. Even with the company providing alot of assistance with relocation and immigration issues things were very frustrating at times. Add to that we moved to a small town and English speaking Italians were'nt all that common. Don't expect things to work like they do in the states. On top of that you'll probably go through bouts of home sickness/ culture shock. Not saying it's impossible but if you are gonna do it on your own prepare yourself for the frustration. Jobs are not good in Italy right now and get scarcer the further south you go. Many southern Italians move north for work. All that being said, it was worth the frustration and headaches. Had the best two and a half years of my life there and looking to go back if I can. If you want some specific info PM me and I'll help the best I can to answer anything.

You might find this ex-pats site interesting/informative. http://www.expatsinitaly.com/