Top 6 Cities in Italy for Expat Jobs

Finding an expat job in Italy requires patience and determination. You may need to be transferred to Italy by a company in your home country, which can take time. You'll first need to understand the best cities for jobs for expats in Italy.

Turin

Turin is located in close proximity to Milan, Geneva, Lyon and Nice. Turin has a population of over 800,000. "Turin is a lovely city, very welcoming and with many cultural activities, parks, museums and an extensive public transport system. Where in the city you are going to live ought, in part, to be determined by where you will be working and the auto or public transportation links between the two," said one expat.

Job listings for Turin can be found at Glassdoor, Linked In and The Local.

Milan

Expats who have worked in Milan and other parts of Italy have reported that Milan is a major hub for expat jobs in Italy.

Here are some thoughts from expats:

"The vast majority of Milanese do not speak English. Bring traditional yet elegant clothing (the Milanese frown on anything flashy or ostentatious) and expect the mentality to be conservative and somewhat behind what one would expect from a city as well known for it's industry, fashion business and financial center as Milan."

"The fashion jobs are mostly up north, in Milan. Plan to work in Milan, and maybe you can live in the Lake area; maybe you'll hook up with George Clooney!!!!!"

One expat asked, "I grew up in Italy so I don't have a problem with the language plus I'm a dual citizen so I won't have a problem with red tape, as far as finding work. I just got an ESL certificate to teach English and I thought I might as well look in Milan first because, let's face it, that's where the money is. Can you give me a list of the best schools in Milan for English teaching jobs???" American School of Milan was described by one parent as, "This is a wonderful facility, great teachers (I believe two thirds have a Masters degree) and happy kids. The program is stimulating and all kids have laptops from grades 6-12. Technology is strong, the library is huge (by international standards) and your kids get a great international experience." Other schools in Milan include The British School of Milan and ICS International School of Milan (International Community School).

Varese

The city of Varese is approximately 30 miles north of Milan. With a population of approximately 80,000 (according to Wikipedia), the economy of Varese is mainly based on industry and, to a lesser extent, specialized agriculture; some famous Varese-based firms are: Aermacchi (military trainer aircraft), AgustaWestland (helicopters), Cagiva, MV Agusta (motorbikes), Vodafone Automotive, Ficep (Machine Tools for steel construction), Ignis (now part of Whirlpool) (electronics), Vibram (rubber shoe soles), Mazzucchelli (plastics), Di Varese (Shoes) and many more as it is one of the most industrialised areas in Northern Italy.

Varese is close to the Malpensa International Airport, which serves the international traffic of Milan, Italy.

Jobs in Milan, Linked In Milan, US Consulate in Milan and Glassdoor all have job listings in Milan.

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Florence

"Tourism, tourism, tourism. Florence is based on the tourist. Career opportunities for outsiders would most likely be in the hotel industry. Working for one of the major hotels in the US first then trying to get transferred overseas is the best way to work the legal way," commented one expat who made the move to Italy.

Here are several sites with English-speaking job listings in Florence: Linked In has job listings in Florence, Hosco has listings for hospitality industry jobs in Italy, US Embassy in ItalyUS Consulate in Florence and Glassdoor's Jobs in Florence

Rome

Some sites with job listings in Rome: Glassdoor, The Local, Linked In and The US Embassy in Rome.

When you get to Rome,Expats Living in Rome holds a get together for expats who are 25+ every Tuesday night in Rome from 8-11:30. The group hosts many other gatherings, trips and even language lessons. "We come from all over so we speak many languages. The common language is English & Italian. This group is for people that are looking to meet others that LIVE & work in ROME. A place to help one another overcome obstacles, and share ideas," said the founder of Expats Living in Rome.

Bologna

With a population of over 350,000, Bologna and the surrounding area is home to numerous auto manufacturers, banks, electronics, leather products and clothing. Here is a list of some companies in Bologna.

Find jobs in Bologna on these websites: Glassdoor, Indeed and Linked In