Can I apply for a Decreto Flussi work visa on my own, or do I need an Italian employer to start the process?

The Decreto Flussi is built around the employer, not the worker. Before you can apply for a visa at the consulate, an Italian company that wants to hire you must submit a request for a nulla osta al lavoro through the Interior Ministry's online portal. The employer needs a certified PEC email and a SPID digital identity to log in and lodge the request.

Only after the nulla osta is approved can you go to the Italian consulate in your country to apply for the entry visa. This means securing a genuine job offer from an Italian employer is the essential first step, and it is the employer who carries the administrative burden at the start.