6+1 common questions about seasonal work
Tourism and agriculture are two sectors where seasonal employment continues to play an important role in Trentino. A seasonal job may last only a few months, offer a first step into the labour market or become the beginning of a longer professional path.
Seasonal does not mean unregulated: it is a form of fixed-term employment governed by specific rules.
This guide covers the essentials on contracts, rights, unemployment benefits and access to employment for people coming from abroad. If you are more interested in how a seasonal experience can help you develop skills and grow professionally, you can read our related article:
1. What is a seasonal employment contract?
Seasonal work covers activities that, by their nature or because of how a particular sector operates, are concentrated in specific periods of the year.
Italian legislation identifies certain seasonal activities directly and allows collective agreements to define others. Activities may also be considered seasonal when they respond to predictable increases in workload at particular times of year or to technical and production requirements linked to seasonal cycles identified by collective agreements.
A seasonal employment contract is therefore a fixed-term contract, although some of the rules differ from those applying to ordinary fixed-term employment. Specific exceptions apply, for example, to renewals, extensions, overall duration and the intervals between contracts. The exact rules may also depend on the collective agreement applied by the employer. Before signing, it is therefore worth checking not only the length of the contract and salary, but also the applicable collective agreement, job classification, working hours, probationary period and any conditions relating to meals or accommodation.
2. Do seasonal workers have the same employment rights as other workers?
Being employed for one season does not mean having fewer protections. The general principle under Italian law is equal treatment. Fixed-term employees are entitled, in proportion to the period worked, to the same pay and employment conditions as comparable permanent employees at the same contractual level.
Pay, annual leave, rest periods, health and safety, sick leave and other aspects of employment are therefore governed by legislation and the applicable collective agreement. The fact that a contract lasts only a few months does not remove these rights.
3. Can I claim NASpI unemployment benefit when the season ends?
In many cases, yes, provided that you meet the eligibility requirements.
NASpI is Italy’s unemployment benefit for employees who lose their job involuntarily. The natural expiry of a fixed-term contract may therefore qualify for the benefit. The standard contribution requirement is at least 13 weeks of social security contributions during the four years preceding the end of employment.
The application must be submitted to INPS within 68 days of the end of employment. Applying for NASpI also counts as a declaration of immediate availability for work.
4. I am under 18. Can I do seasonal work?
As a general rule, in Italy you can start working once you are 16 years old and have completed at least 10 years of compulsory education.
Specific exceptions exist, including apprenticeships leading to a professional qualification or diploma. Additional protections apply to workers under 18, including rules on working hours, rest periods and the type of activities they may perform. Night work is subject to specific restrictions, and minors cannot be assigned certain hazardous, strenuous or unhealthy tasks.
So yes, a minor can undertake seasonal work, provided that the employer complies with all the rules protecting workers under the age of 18.
5. Can I leave a seasonal contract before it expires?
A seasonal contract is a fixed-term employment contract, which means that it is agreed from the outset to end on a specific date or when a defined period expires.
Leaving before that date does not necessarily work in the same way as resigning from an open-ended contract. Where there is just cause, the employment relationship can be ended immediately. In other situations, the terms of the contract, the applicable collective agreement and any agreement between the employee and employer need to be considered.
If you are dealing with a specific case, it is therefore advisable to check your contract and seek advice from a patronato, trade union or the relevant employment services before taking action.
6. If I have already worked one season, do I have priority for the next one?
Yes, under certain conditions. Italian law gives seasonal workers a right of precedence for subsequent fixed-term hires by the same employer for the same seasonal activities.
The right is not automatic. You must notify the employer in writing that you wish to exercise it within three months of the end of the seasonal employment relationship. In any case, the right expires one year after the contract ends.
These rules are set out in Article 24 of Legislative Decree 81/2015 and are also explained by the Employment Agency of the Autonomous Province of Trento.
+1. I am coming from abroad. Can I do seasonal work in Trentino?
It depends on your citizenship. If you are a citizen of an EU Member State, you can work in Italy under the same employment conditions as an Italian citizen and do not need a separate work authorisation. For citizens of non-EU countries who live abroad, entry for seasonal employment is governed by Italian immigration legislation and the Decreto Flussi, the national system setting entry quotas for certain types of employment.
For 2026–2028, specific quotas are available for seasonal employment in agriculture and tourism and hospitality. The employer submits the application for work authorisation, which is one of the steps required before the worker can subsequently apply for an entry visa through the relevant Italian consular authority.
Procedures, quotas and deadlines can change. Anyone coming from outside the EU should therefore always check the latest official information provided by the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Italian Ministry of Labour.
Looking for seasonal work in Trentino?
If you are looking for seasonal opportunities in Trentino, the public reference portal is Trentino Lavoro, where vacancies collected by the provincial employment services are published.
You can browse current opportunities across different sectors and apply for vacancies that match your profile.
