Jobs in Rome, Italy

Available job opportunities in Rome depend on how long you plan to live and work abroad. Most temporary employment opportunities are in the realm of teaching English and au pairing, and these positions tend to last one or two years depending on how long you plan to work in Rome. There are also many work exchange programs which provide jobs in Rome in the hospitality and tourism industries, in hotels, restaurants, construction projects, and many other sectors. 

If you plan on making Rome your permanent home and wish to begin a career, then the situation becomes more challenging. There are quite a few global companies which offer job opportunities in Rome for foreign employees, but these are quite competitive positions and typically require a high degree of education and training. There are also many prestigious international scientific and cultural institutions which often look to hire from around the globe, but again these jobs are quite competitive.

Undoubtedly, you will want to learn Italian if you plan on finding a job in Rome. Not only is Italian the language of business, but it will help you a tremendous amount in your day to day affairs and while culturally assimilating to your surroundings. There are many people in the city who speak English, but if you truly want to shed the tourist label and feel at home while working abroad in Rome, than you will need to learn the local language.

Living abroad in Rome you will come to know the modern heart of the city which underlies its impressive ancient architecture and large variety of historical attractions. Due to its beauty and central significance, Rome is an extremely popular tourist destination. Especially in the summer months, many parts of Rome’s historical center are quite crowded with people from all over the world, so as an expat in Rome you will want to familiarize yourself with the nooks and crannies of the city the remain well kept local secrets to stay away from the crowds.

Rome has a good metro system which will inexpensively transport you throughout most of the city, and it is fairly easy to catch a cab from most locations as well. Be careful though – local cab drivers notoriously rip you off tourists, so start brushing up on your Italian if you want to blend in seamlessly with locals and get the local taxi prices!

A fairly relaxed pace governs life in Rome (as throughout all of Italy), so you may experience a reasonable amount of culture shock while adapting to the city’s laid back attitude. Shop owners will close up spontaneously for a siesta, dinners will often carry on for hours, and store owners may not show up until quite late in the morning (especially on Sundays). Once you learn to let go and relax in your new home however, you will wonder how you ever lived any other way.

Since it is such a popular tourist destination, Rome can be a fairly expensive city to live in. However, it is no more expensive than other major Western European cities, and like any major hub it is possible to lead an affordable lifestyle if you are careful with your budget. Living away from the downtown area and buying local products will help preserve your wallet’s size, and there are a lot of cheap cafes and bars where you can spend your free time as well. Plus, many of the city’s historical attractions are totally free to check out.

Your salary will obviously depend on what type of job you obtain in Rome. Generally you can expect temporary jobs in Rome, such as teaching and au pairing, to pay only moderate wages, but many of these will also include some combination of housing and meals as compensation as well.

Some popular neighborhoods in Rome for expats to find housing include Trastevere, Prati, and Testaccio. Each corner of Rome offers something unique - research what each area of the city to find out which seems most in line with your tastes. It might be easiest to start by renting out a single room and then locating an apartment or flat of your own once you are living and working in Rome full time. Many employers or placement organizations will even help foreign employees organize housing.

While European nationals do not need a visa to apply for jobs in Rome, most expats coming from outside of the European Union will need to go through the process of obtaining a work and/or residential visa. Your employer will have to sponsor you throughout this process and will likely help take care of many of the details. For more information from the nearest Italian consulate, check out our Embassy Directory.

Finding a job in Rome will be the personal and professional adventure of a lifetime. Whether you plan on working in Rome temporarily as a way to see the world or are packing it all up up to make the permanent move, rest assured that you will be arriving in one of the truly great cities of the world where tremendous opportunity awaits. While you’re working in Rome, you’ll be able to walk through the ruins of the Roman Forum and Colosseum as the sun sets over the city at large is a magical experience that will never cease to inspire.