Move to Italy
 

Just wanted to ask if it’s far more difficult to move to Italy post Brexit heard a few people say that it’s much harder now.

Re: Move to Italy
 

It's harder, but not totally impossible if you meet the visa requirements.

Re: Move to Italy
 

No, it's actually easier. Just go there, they'll give you money, free food and and accommodation.

Re: Move to Italy
 

Why would they do that??

Re: Move to Italy
 

I think he was being sarcastic ;-) Either on the basis of 'If you ask a stupid question etc...' Or maybe a joke about being illegal immigrants?

Anyway he forgot to mention the free wine, well I say 'free' it's more sort of obligatory - the Italians just keep forcing it on you no matter how much you refuse. And of course we're in the Southern part of the EU, so the place is just awash with money that Northern European countries have sent here, you can hardly move without falling over it (especially having drunk so much wine).

Serious answer to the original question? It's different. Think about it, how many individuals can say they have actually moved before Brexit AND after Brexit? I'm guessing zero, so we can't really compare the two experiences. The crucial point is that you no longer have a legal right to move within the EU (which you did have pre-Brexit), but you can apply to move to the EU using the visa/residency application system. People from other countries (American/Australians/Russians etc) have been doing that for years. Obviously the rules that apply are different depending on where you come and which EU country you want to got to, and your individual circumstances. There's a lot of uncertainty for Brits at the moment due to Brexit (and Covid), so yes in that sense it's much harder, because it's harder to understand what rules apply. But it was never easy to move to another country, which is why there are forums like this with people discussing how best to do it

Re: Move to Italy
 

Yes its more difficult. How much more difficult depends on what method you choose to move here. If its elective residency, then if you have a house and a healthy bank balance its easy. If you want to come to look for a job, its much more difficult.

Re: Move to Italy
 

thanks for your reply
I have just a ‘little’ experience already living outside the uk, owned a property / lived in rural France about 15yrs ago and also lived in Ireland and have been living in Canada for nearly 10yrs now so you could say I served my expat apprenticeship lol
With living outside the UK / Europe for a number of years now I am not that up to speed with the whole Brexit News to be honest.

Re: Move to Italy
 

oh how I have missed the expat forums..........
lots of ‘advice’ from people who I have never lived outside the UK giving others guidance on living outside the UK lol......

Re: Move to Italy
 

thanks for your reply

Re: Move to Italy
 

thanks for your reply

Re: Move to Italy
 

Well, as a freelancer, I can tell you it's going to be virtually impossible for me to compare the two experiences because getting a visa as a freelancer is really, really difficult from what I've looked at from the experiences of other non-EU citizens in similar jobs. If you have a good job and a company in Italy wants you, they will probably be able to get you in, but for someone like me it would appear that the ladder has been pulled up, which makes me incredibly sad.