Caregivers, click day chaos: 86 thousand requests for 9500 places. And in two months a new “window” when the results will not yet be known

More than 86 thousand applications already pre-filled with 9,500 places available. The click day for the entry into Italy of domestic workers and carers from non-EU countries began at 9am. A possibility foreseen by the flows decree. The problem, the usual problem, is the explosion of requests compared to those that can be accepted. While the employers’ association Assindatcolf reported “sharp slowdowns” this morning on the dedicated portal. In fact, applications must be submitted online by families by December 31st. To facilitate operations, from 30 October to 26 November, the possibility was given to pre-fill the forms via the “Ali services portal” and to send them starting today. At the end of this phase there were 86,074 requests relating to the family and social-health care sector.

Maids, carers and non-seasonal workers: the dates and jobs for hiring and the procedures

The click day for housekeepers and carers is the second event after last Saturday’s one dedicated to “non-seasonal work” and the next one on 12 December reserved for seasonal workers. The quota established by the 2023 flows decree provides for the arrival of 136 thousand non-EU workers overall. «Only one domestic worker in ten will be able to meet the quotas authorized in this year’s flow decree»; thunders the president Assindatcolf Andrea Zini who speaks of «a real ‘lottery’ that could have been avoided». And he also reports malfunctions of the site this morning: «From the reports we have received from our offices throughout the national territory, heavy slowdowns in the sending of applications have occurred on the portal which, as expected, has repeatedly blocked even before 9am» .

Zini also says he is worried about the “timing”. “What will happen to the over 76 thousand over-booked applications? – he continues – Our hope is that they will be able to get a preferential lane in view of the next click day, which will be in two months, on 7 February. The risk is that the Ministry will not send a response regarding the acceptance of the request in time, forcing the families to present a new one, perhaps uselessly and with greater difficulty, leaving them disappointed again”.

The association therefore asks the government for “certain procedures and times, but also an expansion of quotas for the domestic sector, which are absolutely insufficient to satisfy needs”. According to the estimates contained in the 2023 ‘Family (Net) Work’ report by Assindatcolf, 23 thousand new people would be needed per year, 68 thousand in the three-year period. «Figures well above those that have been authorized between now and 2025», underlines Zini. While the Domina association estimates potential revenue for the state coffers of 16 million euros, on the basis of the new ministerial circulars which provide for a salary for new workers not lower than the minimum social security allowance of 503.27 euros per month.