San Marino work stay permit

Seasonal permits are for workers in tourism, hotels, retail and agriculture, within the yearly entry quotas, where the employer has obtained a work clearance for seasonal duties. Temporary permits are for other categories set by decree, such as carers for elderly people, people with disabilities and families, for defined duties over a limited period. Special permits exist for crews of San Marino vessels, nurses at the State Hospital, lecturers at the University of San Marino and staff of start-up companies. Cross-border workers cannot receive a work stay permit.

For a temporary work permit: a copy of a valid passport, four ICAO passport photos (two for renewal), residence and family status certificates, San Marino criminal record and pending charges certificates requested at the office with EUR 15 in stamps, criminal record and pending charges certificates from the home country, the Labour Office work clearance and a certified copy of the employer's declaration.

Seasonal workers also prove suitable housing with a registered lease, the cadastral income if the home is their own, or another valid title. Fees are EUR 50 at application and EUR 30 at collection in revenue stamps. Documents must be in Italian or come with a sworn Italian translation made before a San Marino authority, or be multilingual certificates. Certificates must be no older than six months, and foreign certificates other than Italian ones must be legalised or apostilled.

Decree No. 2 of 13 January 2026 sets the maximum numbers for 2026. Seasonal work permits are capped at 300: 275 for tourism, hotels and retail and 25 for agriculture. Temporary work permits are capped at 680: 400 elderly carers, 170 family assistants, 10 assistants for people with disabilities, 30 highly specialised staff in banking, industry, technology, university or economic fields backed by a detailed employer report, 20 in entertainment and the arts, 10 shift production managers, 10 removal workers, 10 cleaning or car-wash workers, 5 bakers, 5 butchers and 10 workers in private construction, a category added for 2026. The decree also allows 45 nurses at the State Hospital, 25 University lecturers and five crew members of San Marino vessels.

The law allows migrant workers to be hired only when it is impossible to recruit citizens, resident foreigners or cross-border workers. Holders of a work stay permit have the same rights as citizens and residents to healthcare, temporary and lifelong economic benefits from the Social Security Institute, and to family allowances for dependants with an ordinary stay permit. A worker who leaves when the permit ends has priority over compatriots who have never worked in San Marino for a return the next year.

The employer files a declaration with the Labour Office guaranteeing suitable housing for the worker, describing the duties and undertaking to pay the return journey home. Once the work clearance is issued, the worker brings a certified copy of the declaration and the clearance to the Gendarmerie Foreigners Office. Workers from outside the Schengen area must hold a non-tourist Schengen entry visa where the Schengen rules require it.

Seasonal and temporary permits last up to 12 continuous months and are renewed yearly within 30 days of expiry. After three consecutive renewals the permit lapses and a new application is needed. The temporary work instructions state that after 48 months the permit is interrupted, the worker must return home and may not reapply for 30 days. Workers must leave when the permit expires but have priority for return the following year.