Seasonal Summer Work in Italy

Ideally I would like to work there for the allowable 90 day period...

If you are traveling on a US passport, you are not allowed to work there for 90 days. You are allowed to stay as a tourist without a visa for a total of 90 days in any 180 day period. If you intend to work for any part of that time you would need a work visa, applied for separately.

Annalisa, reference the U.S. Italian Embassy's page on working in Italy:

https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/visiting-living/

Specifically:

"American citizens who have a job offer in Italy, or wish to work in Italy, either temporarily or permanently, must be provided with a work permit obtained by the prospective employer, and must obtain a work visa from the Italian Consular authorities BEFORE coming to Italy. A written job offer or an employment contract is not regarded as a valid document for working in Italy: the prospective employer is required to apply for preliminary clearance from the provincial employment office (Ufficio Provinciale del Lavoro e della Massima Occupazione) in the proposed city of employment by submitting evidence that persons qualified for the position offered to a non-resident foreigner are not available in the local labor market. If clearance is granted, the prospective employer is further required to obtain a work permit with the approval of the regional and central authorities. The permit is then sent to the worker so that he or she may apply for the entry visa. There are Italian consular offices in most major cities in the U.S. The procedure for professional and self-employment is basically the same as that described above. A permit to reside in Italy for the purpose of employment is obtained after arrival in the country from the central police office (Questura) having jurisdiction. To apply for permit, you must submit a valid Italian visa and work permit."

In addition to the red tape above, I think it's a stretch for an employer to take on and train a non-Italian speaker for a stay of just a week or two? Besides, work is work and not a vacation.

Maybe just look into less expensive accommodations at a hostel for a week or so?

annalisa, in the US, they call that being an "undocumented worker", which puts it into perspective.

annalisa, in the US, they call that being an "undocumented worker", which puts it into perspective.

And, to add yet more perspective...you should be aware that all across Europe, the refugee crisis (refugees from Syria, all of Africa and other places) is a highly charged, very political issue (that's putting it gently), which has caused the fall of governments and other earth-shaking developments. Some of that relates to foreigners seeking work.

Italy is very, very much on the front lines of this issue (literally) and migrants seeking work is a highly visible and contentious reality there.

In previous times, one may have been able to "get by" working on the sly easily but I suspect nowadays this is not a simple option. I would certainly not count on it to help finance a trip.

As a non-Italian speaker, add another challenge to finding work even if you had the documents.

Some self-employed people take their work with them and work all over the world. For example, I know a copy-editor that does this and travels extensively because she can work anywhere. She travels on visitor visas only. Is she eligible to work in each country? Maybe not strictly but if she is not charging an Italian for her services while working in Italy, she is probably OK. (Her clients are in New Zealand.)

So if you have a portable business and your clients are outside of Italy, maybe you can make it work.

If the issue is strictly the cost of housing, you might try a house-swapping website.

You can't legally work on a tourist visa.
How about volunteering? Try looking at the listings on Workaway. It's a listing service for people all over the world looking for volunteers to help them for short periods of time in exchange for room/board usually. Use the keyword box at the top of the page to look for people who need someone with your specific skill set.
That said, volunteering in exchange for room/board is considered "work" and can be seen as a violation of being in the country as a tourist.

Most of what is being suggested really is illegal -- Don't know why you would want to assume the risk of being an illegal worker working under the table. There are consequences if caught and they can be severe. And teaching "English" can sometimes be a sham.

But it is still illegal. And we are not suppose to encourage illegal behavior.

There is a lot of talk about teaching English in European countries. My question is: don't all kids have to learn English in school these days in Italy and elsewhere? My family lives in (former) Eastern Europe and the kids all learn English in school. One older kid is actually in a high school (equivalent) where all instruction is in English because he's eventually going abroad for college and English is the common language. Plus, not everyone is built to be a teacher (skills, training, temperament, etc) just because they speak English. What employer is going to illegally take someone on just for 3 months when there are plenty of unemployed locals, especially young people who speak Italian?

I support following the legal rules 100%. That quite aside, though, the logistics don't make sense. You wouldn't likely earn enough to pay food and lodging costs, and you would limit any sightseeing time. So what is the value to you of this extra time in Italy? I agree that home exchange and managing your costs carefully is a better way to stay just a short while longer. If you really want to invest in a much longer stay, there is some good advice here and elsewhere about getting the correct visas.

Given the current political climate here in the United States and the ongoing war on illegals in our country, I find it the height of hypocrisy that the OP is being encouraged to become an illegal worker in a foreign country by anyone, let alone a fellow American. Furthermore, I would say to annalisasokol this: remember you will be the one to suffer any consequences, not those making such suggestions, should you be caught. Obey the law, please.

Friends, I believe the OP (who hasn't posted any follow up) may have been a bit naive in their original post, but...well, quoting from the forum's Community Guidelines...

8. Do not help people break laws. Speaking of the existence of law breaking is OK. Sharing how to circumvent visa restrictions, scam hotels, or perform other illegal acts is prohibited.

Pretty sure we all recognize this would fall under that rule. I would wager that any reasonable person would conclude that enough practical advice has already been dispensed here. Time to wrap this up?

Yes, David, it is.

Hello,

I've removed and edited a number of replies so that this thread can be within our guidelines. I'm now closing the thread.