Permesso di soggiorno for job search for Italian university graduates (and postdocs?)

[annainitaly]

If you have obtained a bachelor's, master's or PhD degree from an Italian university, then after your student permesso di soggiorno expires you can apply for a job search permesso and legally stay in Italy for another year. Unfortunately, I cannot provide exact instructions as I usually do because my personal experience was different from how it's supposed to be according to formal requirements. However, I still want to highlight the existence of this option, in case it might be useful to someone.




Type and duration of permesso

I applied for permesso di soggiorno type 5. attesa occupazione (and that's what I got). It has very little requirements, so the procedure seemed very simple to me. However, in hindsight, it seems that the correct type is 30. student - ricerca lavoro. And apparently there is a similar option for postdocs (assegnisti) - 28. ricercatore - ricerca lavoro, but I never applied for that type and I don’t know anyone who did, so there’s nothing to tell.

As for the timing: if you graduated, for example, in March, and you have a student permesso until December, can you wait until December and apply for a “job search” then, or should you apply right away? In my understanding yes, but I didn't find official info.

"Unemployed" permesso is given for up to a year.

Documents

1. Copy of all the pages of your passport;
2. Copy of your current student permesso;
3. Dichiarazione di immediata disponibilità al lavoro (see below);
4. Diploma / proof of graduation from your university (ask at the secretariat or download it from the university portal);
5. A document "confirming sufficient financial resources for the duration of the residence permit." The immigration portal does not indicate which resources are “sufficient”, but in many posts it's the annual amount of the social benefit, i.e. ~6 thousand euros. I was not asked for this proof, I did not show a bank statement, only confirmation that I will receive DIS-COLL unemployment benefit. Most likely, I just got lucky. Check with those who received such a permesso in your region/province;
6. Copy of your health insurance (as long as you have a student permit, you can renew tessera sanitaria for 150€);
7. Marca di bollo for 16€.

Employment center

Essential step in obtaining a "job search" permesso is to provide a dichiarazione di Immediata Disponibilità (DID), literally "a declaration that you are ready to work right now." Check the rules in your region with friends or at the patronage! They may vary. In Abruzzo, I did everything through the national website.

• The application is submitted on the website myanpal.anpal.gov.it/myanpal/, you need SPID to log in.
• On the main screen Servizi -> Disponibilità al lavoro -> Patto di servizio.
• A new window will open. In the upper left corner choose Stato Attività. There first select Dichiarazione di Immediata Disponibilità, fill it in, then select Curriculum Vitae Online, fill it in. 
• The last item on the list is Patto di servizio. Within 15 days you must contact the employment center and agree on Patto di servizio - your individual job search plan: maybe you will have to attend some courses, maybe go to interviews, etc. Honestly, I did not reach this step and never got this document.

Please note that at the time of visiting questura, you should not yet have a new job (or at least questura should not know about it). Otherwise, they will (fairly) tell you to apply for a work permit instead.

Hope this info was useful!