Italy is a nation that considers access to employment as the primary and fundamental need for all citizens, in fact the Republican Constitution reads in its Article 1: “Italy is a democratic republic founded on work”. This is not a real right but the fundamental objective that the State must pursue in all its political and economic programs: to ensure that everyone works.

In an extended way this objective, placed at the foundation of our democratic life and not only economic, must obviously be pursued not only in favor of Italian citizens but, with the participation of Italy in the European Union, also of all European citizens residing in Italy who intend to work there, whether as an employee or as a self-employed person.

Article 15 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights states, in fact, “Every citizen of the Union has the freedom to seek employment, to work, to establish himself or to provide services in any Member State.”
The Union citizen thus has free access to the labour market in Italy, without prejudice to specific conditions for the exercise of certain professions which require prior verification with the professional association of reference and/or recognition of professional qualifications or studies.

As mentioned in the paragraph on residence, in the presence of an employed or self-employed job carried out in Italy, the citizen of the Union and his family members acquire the right to stay in Italy for a period of more than three months and with this the obligation to register with the Registry of the municipality of residence.
Once the registration procedure has been completed, the municipality of residence will issue a personal certificate to the citizen.

The protection and promotion of work is guaranteed not only by the Constitution, but also by a multiplicity of regulations that are always aimed at guaranteeing the conditions for decent work (legislation on working time; legislation on dismissal; safety at work; social security in the event of loss of employment…) on the other hand to promote access to employment (legislation on employment contracts; rules on access to employment; rules on labour services…)

One of the safeguards provided for is that the right of residence is maintained even in the event of unemployment. In this case, the Community citizen must register at the Employment Centre, which is competent for the territory, in order to be included in work placement schemes.