Moving to Italy from Canada: guide for expats

This guide is for Canadians, remote workers, retirees, and families who want a practical plan for living in Italy as a non-EU national. It also helps if you may qualify through family ties or citizenship by descent, which can change the process.

Key takeaways

• Plan your immigration route before you leave Canada. Canadians can generally visit Italy and the wider Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but a long-term move usually requires the appropriate Italian national visa or other qualifying status.
• Choose a route that matches your circumstances. Depending on your situation, options may include work, study, family, elective residence, youth mobility, or an ancestry/citizenship route.
• Prepare your paperwork and accommodation evidence early. Visa applications can require financial evidence, insurance, accommodation details, and other supporting documents, so avoid leaving document preparation until the last minute.
• Expect more paperwork after you arrive. You may need a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) and a codice fiscale (Italian tax identification number) for everyday administrative tasks.
• Build a realistic relocation budget. Allow for flights, housing deposits, visa and permit costs, insurance, temporary accommodation, and initial household expenses.
• Plan how you will move money from Canada to Italy. Compare CAD-to-EUR exchange rates, transfer fees, limits, and processing times before transferring larger amounts.

Can Canadians move to Italy long term?

Canadian citizens can usually visit Italy and the wider Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a short-stay visa. If you are a Canadian permanent resident with a different passport, check the rules for your nationality instead of assuming the same entry terms apply.

Long-term living is different from a visit. In practice, moving to Italy from Canada usually means getting the correct national visa before departure and then completing local steps after arrival, which may include applying for a permesso di soggiorno ( residence permit).

It’s worth remembering that:

• Short stays and relocation follow different rules.
• Stays over 90 days usually need a national visa before you leave Canada.
• Many long-stay routes also require a residence permit after arrival.
• Tax residency is a separate issue and can depend on factors including how much time you spend in Italy and your personal and residential ties.
• Buying property in Italy does not by itself grant residency.

Which routes fit most Canadians?

Here is a quick overview of some of the different Italian visa types that may suit Canadians looking to relocate.

Route	Best for	Usual proof needed	Key caution
Work visa	People taking qualifying employment in Italy	Contract and work authorization	Employer and authorization steps can take time
Digital nomad visa	Highly qualified remote workers and freelancers	Income, qualifications, insurance, accommodation, route-specific documents	Eligibility requirements and income thresholds can change
Elective residence visa	Retirees or people able to support themselves without working	Financial resources, accommodation, insurance	It is not a work route
Family visa	Spouses, dependents, people with Italian roots	Proof of family ties	Requirements depend on the nature of the relationship
Study visa	Students	Enrollment, funds, insurance	Often a temporary rather than permanent route

Prepare your move before leaving Canada

Before booking flights, work backward from your intended arrival date and the immigration route you plan to use. Visa requirements and application procedures can vary by consular office, so check the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for where you live in Canada.

The Visa for Italy tool can help you identify the appropriate visa and requirements, while the Italian Consulate in Toronto visas page provides a useful example of consular guidance.

Give yourself plenty of time to collect supporting documents, and remember that some may need to be translated, legalized, or apostilled. Avoid making non-refundable travel commitments until you understand the application process and likely timing.

Your moving budget should cover more than flights and rent. Allow for:

• visa and document costs
• temporary accommodation
• rental deposit
• Insurance
• Transport
• everyday living expenses

It is also sensible to have more than one way to access your money while you arrange local banking.

Young people interested in coming to Italy on a youth exchange program should read

Work and travel in Italy and the Italy-Canada Youth Mobility Program pages.

Before you leave:

• Check passport validity for your route and travel dates.
• Match your proof of funds to the visa category you chose.
• Confirm accommodation requirements and gather the necessary evidence for your application.
• Arrange private health insurance if your visa needs it.
• Save digital and paper copies of your key records.

Build your document, housing, and budget checklist

✅ Identity documents, plus marriage or birth records if your route needs them

✅ Route-specific paperwork such as work documents, admission letters, or evidence of income or financial resources

✅ Proof of accommodation that meets the requirements of your visa route and consulate

✅ Private health insurance where required, plus a healthcare plan for the first weeks before local registration

✅ Access to funds in both countries, with a backup payment method while you get established

Do not assume every consulate, landlord, or Italian public office will accept the same document format, translation, certification, or proof of accommodation. Check the requirements for your particular visa and the office handling your application before submitting documents or making non-refundable commitments.

Handle your first 90 days in Italy

Many Canadians assume the visa is the hard part, but the administration after arrival can take time too. The exact process varies by immigration route and where you live, but a checklist can help you meet important deadlines and get established.

Do time-sensitive admin first

1. Residence permit within the applicable deadline, if required.
2. Codice fiscale early, because many contracts and services need it.
3. Comune or anagrafe registration when required, checking the documents your municipality asks for.
4. Register for public healthcare with the _Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (_SSN) if you are eligible, or maintain private health insurance if not.
5. Apply for your health card (tessera sanitaria) after SSN enrollment, completing the local steps as required.

Understand costs, healthcare, taxes, and banking

The biggest early costs are usually rent, deposits, temporary housing, utilities, and setup or administrative fees. They vary sharply depending on location.

For example, settling in Milan or Rome may cost considerably more than moving to Turin or a smaller town, so research the local housing market and living costs before you commit.

Healthcare can also affect your budget. Private health insurance may be required for some visa routes or during the initial move, while access to the public system depends on your residence status and reason for staying. Do not assume that arriving with a visa automatically gives you free SSN healthcare.

Tax residence is separate from immigration status. Italy has its own statutory tests for determining tax residence, while the Canada–Italy tax treaty can become relevant if both countries consider you resident. If you are unsure about anything, seek advice from a qualified cross-border tax professional or commercialista.

Area	What to verify	Why it matters
Housing	Deposit rules, contract type, local rents	This shapes how much cash you need upfront
Healthcare	Private cover, SSN eligibility, local ASL steps	This affects healthcare costs and access
Taxes	Tax residency, treaty rules, filing duties	Your visa does not decide your tax status
Banking	Account opening requirements, card access, payments transfer costs	Your first month is easier with a working setup

Move money between Canada and Italy

Some readers compare major Italian banks with non-bank money transfer providers. Wise is one option: the Wise account can help you hold 40+ currencies, convert, send and receive money, and use the Wise card in 150+ countries.

Compare current fees, exchange rates, supported features, transfer limits, and eligibility before relying on any provider. For more detail, see Expatica’s best EUR accounts in Italy for foreigners.

Need	Bank or local account	Wise or specialist option	What to verify
Deposit in euros	Banks can work if landlord accepts SEPA	Wise can convert CAD to EUR and send euros	Transfer limits, timing, fees, and recipient details
Daily spending	Local accounts can be convenient for bills and direct debits	A multi-currency account can help during your first weeks	Card fees, payment features, and acceptance
Receiving funds	Local accounts provide an Italian banking setup	Wise can receive and hold money across currencies	Check features and local details
Holding CAD and EUR	Banks may offer limited foreign-currency options	Multi-currency services can add flexibility	Check supported currencies, exchange rates, and fees

Choose where to live in Italy

Famous cities are not the only sensible choice. If you want access to large job markets and international communities, Milan and Rome are obvious places to consider, but Expatica’s great cities to live in Italy include the likes of Bologna and Turin.

Smaller towns and parts of southern Italy can offer lower housing costs or suit people looking for a quieter lifestyle or retirement destination. However, public transport, rental availability, English-language services, and access to administrative offices can vary considerably by location.

Profile	Best match	Why it may work	Watchout
Remote workers	Milan, Rome, Bologna	Transport links, services, coworking	Higher housing costs
Balanced city life	Turin or Bologna	Good transport and strong infrastructure	Competitive rental markets
Retirees or budget-focused movers	Smaller towns or parts of the south	Lower housing costs and slower pace of life	Fewer English-language services and transport options

Use Wise to manage money between Canada and Italy

Moving countries often means managing money in both places at once. You may still have savings or income in Canadian dollars while facing new costs in euros, such as temporary accommodation, a rental deposit, travel, and everyday spending.

Wise is one option to consider. You can:

• Send a rental deposit from Canada to your Italian landlord using a Wise money transfer.
• Use a Wise account to hold CAD and EUR, convert between them when you want to, and make payments to Italian accounts.
• Spend with the Wise card to cover everyday needs.

This can be particularly useful during the first few weeks. However, Wise may not replace an Italian bank account for every purpose, so check what your employer, landlord, utility providers, and other services accept.

For more details on features, fees, and eligibility, see Expatica’s How to use Wise in Italy as an expat.

Useful sources

(accessed 14 August 2026)

1. Visa for Italy, to check whether your route is short stay, work, study, family, or elective residence.
2. Visas – Consolato Generale d’Italia Toronto, for consular jurisdiction rules and national visa process details.
3. Youth Mobility Visa – Ambasciata d’Italia Ottawa, for official Italy-Canada youth mobility guidance.
4. Work and travel in Italy – Canada.ca, for Canadian government guidance on eligible youth routes.
5. Registration of Canadians Abroad – travel.gc.ca, for pre-departure registration and emergency contact planning.
6. Tax identification number for foreign citizens – Agenzia delle Entrate, for official codice fiscale guidance.
7. Health insurance card for foreigners – Agenzia delle Entrate, for official SSN and tessera sanitaria information.
8. Convention Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Italian Republic – Canada.ca, for treaty background on cross-border tax questions.
9. Demographic Indicators – Year 2025 – Istat, for official demographic context and regional population patterns.
10. Expatica Italy, for related explainers on cities, housing, healthcare, banking, and settling in.