IT Contracting in Italy - Living and Working
Profile written by Matt Walters of Capital Consulting
(updated January 2016)
Languages
While the official language of Italy is Italian, English is relatively widely spoken.
For the English-speaking contractor, the employment opportunities in Italy are generally restricted to international companies, and the language barrier is therefore not an issue.
For purposes of local administration, it can be helpful to have a grasp of Italian, and a foreigner making an effort is always welcome!
Accommodation
Although there is not a strong rental culture in Italy, renting a property in the main cities is relatively easy to find for the duration of your contract, although short-term properties become hard to find during the tourist season.
Prices for accommodation will of course vary depending on size and location, but a guideline figure of EUR 1200-2000 per month may be quoted for a small apartment in central Rome
Travel
One of Italy's key advantages is its proximity to many European countries and copious travel links with the UK.
i. Air
The key airports of Milan-Malpensa and
Rome-Fiumicino provide speedy links to all key UK airports by Alitalia, British Airways and easyJet among others.
ii. Rail
The rail journey from London to Rome via Paris takes about 15 hours.
iii. Road
The drive from London to Rome is about 1'144 miles and, using the Eurotunnel, takes about 18 hours.
Neighbouring France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia allow plenty of opportunities for exploring, although there are plenty of destinations within Italy itself!
iv. Ferry
Ferries depart regularly from all major ports for Corsica (F), Sardinia (I), Spain and North Africa.
Italy is a great destination for European contractors due to its good travel links to the UK, its Mediterranean climate and the wealth of travel and tourism opportunities that it offers.
Public holidays in Italy include New Year’s Day, Epiphany (January 6), Easter, Easter Monday, Anniversary of Liberation (April 25), Labour Day (May 1), Republic Day (June 2), Assumption of Mary (August 15), All Saints’ Day (November 1), Day of the Dead (November 2), Immaculate Conception (December 8), Christmas Day (December 25), and St. Stephen’s Day (December 26).
| Official Languages: | Italian (official); other languages official in some regions. |
| Capital: | Rome |
| Timezone: | GMT +1 (+2 in summer) |
| Currency: | Euro (EUR) |
| Emergency Numbers: | 112 (all), 113 (Police), 118 (Ambulance), 115 or 1515 (Fire) |
| Key Airports: | Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) Milan-Malpensa (MXP) |
| Population: | 61,855,120 (July '15 estimate) |
| Elecricity: | 230V |
| Tax Year: | 1st January – 31st December |
| National holiday: | 2nd June (Festa della Repubblica) |
| International dialing prefix: | +39 |
| Internet domain suffix: | .it |
| Cost of living: | Milan is ranked 53rd and Rome is ranked 59th on the Mercer worldwide cost of living survey. London is ranked 12th (2015). |
