# Moving to Italy?



## Light (Jun 9, 2018)

I will soon be an Italian citizen and I want to know if I will be able to get any jobs in Italy without knowing much Italian? I am willing to pick crops like grapes or olives. Would it also be possible for me to get a job at a hotel? I am an American and my intention is to live permanently in either Italy or somewhere in the EU. 

For any American expats living in Italy, how do you like the quality of life in Italy compared to America?


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

You're willing to pick fruit?

€3 an hour? 

Hotel? You'd be competing against trained qualified staff. Do you have experience? With no Italian you couldn't work the front desk. Most require at least two language in addition to Italian.


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## Light (Jun 9, 2018)

NickZ said:


> You're willing to pick fruit?
> 
> €3 an hour?
> 
> Hotel? You'd be competing against trained qualified staff. Do you have experience? With no Italian you couldn't work the front desk. Most require at least two language in addition to Italian.


Yes, I would be an immigrant so unless there's nothing else I could do then I would pick fruit. It would take me at a minimum a few years to become good at one other language. Learning to up to an intermediate level would take at longer and to be fluent much longer.

I heard some people can be paid up to 100 Euro a day if they pick a lot of fruit and are the best workers, if the farm owner pays on a per work basis instead of per hour.

Italy has national healthcare and vacation days, so €3 an hour from a private employer doesn't sound too bad. 

Is there anything else I could do an an American immigrant to the EU that might pay better then €3 an hour? If not, I'd be fine picking fruit because at least I'd have a good chance of getting that job. 

I have a university education with a business degree from America, I'm born in America and a white male, and zero American employers are willing to give me a chance for anything.


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## sofimom (May 1, 2018)

As an American citizen you could apply to Us Army base jobs open to civilians in Italy bases?


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## sofimom (May 1, 2018)

Another option is to became a teacher in one of the many International schools in Italy.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

sofimom said:


> As an American citizen you could apply to Us Army base jobs open to civilians in Italy bases?


No, this is not possible for an American with dual Italian citizenship. American only OK. Italian only OK. Dual American, Italian. Not OK.


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## KenzoXIV (Nov 13, 2013)

Light said:


> Yes, I would be an immigrant so unless there's nothing else I could do then I would pick fruit. It would take me at a minimum a few years to become good at one other language. Learning to up to an intermediate level would take at longer and to be fluent much longer.
> 
> I heard some people can be paid up to 100 Euro a day if they pick a lot of fruit and are the best workers, if the farm owner pays on a per work basis instead of per hour.
> 
> ...


Ok I'll be the bad guy....

First the positive... It will NOT take you at a minimum a few years to become good at one other language. You will be immersed in the language, a few months and you will be grasping what people are saying 12 -18 months at most and you should be fluentish, maybe not quoting Shakespeare but your day to day life will be smooth. If not you really haven't put the effort in!

€100 a day picking fruit? Not a chance! I'll kill that one for you nice and quick! I am in a very agricultural part of Sicily and you will be incredibly lucky to find €25 a day. Infact most farmers would offer you bed and board but you work for free! If you are picking fruit expect to start at 7am, finish around 1pm, start again at 4pm and work through till (during the summer) 9pm. Its a very romantic dream picking fruit in Italy but after 3 or 4 days of Mosquito bites, hot sun and smelling of.... well not fruit... at the end of each day you will get tired of it. It is not easy work.

Hotel work with no knowledge of Italian is a definite no and you would also be required to speak either French, German or Dutch as these are the main visitors to Italy, if you have Dutch you will have a slight advantage. Your English skills are common over here, nothing special, as I was told when I was looking for work.

"I have a university education with a business degree from America" Use this! There is no reason why Italian businesses would not be looking for advice, the business world over here is struggling and needs modernising! Approach companies with your CV and see if there is anything you can do for them! Honestly forget the fruit picking and hotel work, it won't happen, at least not as you want it to!

Kenzo


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