A small number of European countries limit how many non-EU workers they admit each year by setting a quota. For 2027 the clearest example is Italy, which has fixed 165,850 entries with set application days in January and February 2027. Hungary set a cap of 35,000 guest worker permits for 2026 and then stopped issuing new guest worker permits from 6 June 2026. Romania set a quota of 90,000 workers for 2026, and its 2027 figure had not been published when we checked. Most other EU countries, including Poland, Sweden and Germany, do not use an overall annual quota and instead rely on salary rules, labour market checks or employer conditions. This guide explains how each quota works, what the 2027 dates are, and how workers and employers can prepare. All facts were checked on 11 November 2026.

What a work quota is

A quota is a maximum number of permits, entry authorisations or job approvals that a country will issue in a period, usually a calendar year. Once the quota is used up, further applications are refused or held until the next period, even if the worker and employer meet every other condition.

Quotas are different from other controls:

• Labour market test: the employer must show that no suitable local candidate is available. This is decided case by case, not by a national number.
• Salary threshold: the job must pay at least a set amount. Sweden, for example, uses 90% of the median salary.
• Shortage lists: some occupations get easier access. Romania uses a list of shortage occupations.

A country can combine these tools. Italy uses a quota but also checks the employer and the job. Romania uses a quota together with a shortage list and an online platform.

Quota overview for 2026 and 2027

Italy: the 2027 flows decree

How many places

Italy's annual flows decree sets the number of non-EU workers who may enter for work. For 2027 the total is 165,850 entries, divided into 76,200 places for non-seasonal employment, 89,000 for seasonal work and 650 for self-employment (Ministry of Labour). The operating instructions are set out in Circular 7185 of 1 October 2026, published by the ministries involved.

The 2027 timetable

Applications are dealt with in the order they are received within each category. Although the window stays open until 31 December 2027, the places for popular categories can be taken quickly, so being ready at 9:00 on the relevant click day is important.

Who applies

In the Italian system the employer applies, not the worker. The employer requests authorisation to hire a named worker, known in Italian as the nulla osta. The worker abroad cannot place themselves in the quota. Any person who says a worker can buy a place in the Italian quota directly should be treated with great caution.

What happens after the click day

If the application falls within the quota and passes the checks, the authorities issue the authorisation. The worker then applies for an entry visa at the Italian consulate in their country of residence. After arrival, the worker and employer complete the formalities at the immigration one-stop office, known as the Sportello Unico, including signing the residence contract, and the worker applies for a residence permit. The exact steps and deadlines are explained in the ministry's operating instructions, which employers should read in full before the click day.

How employers can prepare

• Make sure the account and digital identity needed for the ALI portal are working well before the click day.
• Collect the worker's passport details and the job details in advance, so that only submission is left on the day.
• Check that the planned pay and contract meet Italian collective agreements for the sector.
• Choose the correct category. A seasonal agricultural job and a non-seasonal job are counted against different quotas and have different dates.
• Keep the submission receipt. It shows the time the application was received, which affects its place in the order.

Hungary: a quota that has closed

Hungary capped the number of guest worker residence permits at 35,000 for 2026 (NGM Decree 35/2025). Government Decree 92/2026 then stopped the issue of new guest worker permits from 6 June 2026. Holders of existing guest worker permits may still apply to extend them under the conditions set by the authority (National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing).

The change shows why a quota figure alone is not enough: a cap only tells you the maximum, and the government can still close the route before the cap is reached.

For workers, this means that an offer of a new Hungarian guest worker permit made after 6 June 2026 does not match the current rules. Other Hungarian permit types still exist, but they have their own conditions. Ask the employer which permit they plan to apply for and check it on the authority's website.

Romania: quota plus shortage list

Romania sets an annual quota of newly admitted foreign workers by government decision. For 2026 the quota was 90,000 under Government Decision 1169/2025. We could confirm this figure only through news reports, not an official government page, so it should be checked with the authority. The 2027 quota had not been published on 11 November 2026.

The Romanian procedure also changed in 2026. Emergency Ordinance 32/2026 applies from 27 April 2026, and since 7 August 2026 employers must use the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform (National Employment Agency). The rules include a list of shortage occupations, and a certificate for highly qualified roles is valid for 90 days. Employers should plan their applications early in the year, because a quota can be used up before December.

Lithuania: an annual quota with exceptions

Lithuania also sets an annual quota for third-country nationals coming to work, with some categories outside it. The Migration Department publishes how much of the quota has been used and the rules that apply once it is reached (Migration Department). We did not find a confirmed 2027 figure, so check the current position there before planning an application.

Countries without an overall annual quota

Many workers assume that all of Europe works on quotas. It does not. Several major destinations use other controls instead.

Poland

Poland does not set an overall annual quota for work permits. Since 1 June 2025, the labour market test has been abolished and applications are filed online through praca.gov.pl (Warsaw Labour Office). The main conditions relate to the employer, the job and pay that is not lower than that of comparable workers.

Sweden

Sweden has no annual quota for work permits. The main limit is the salary: since 1 June 2026 a new work permit generally requires at least 90% of the median salary, which is SEK 34,470 per month from 16 June 2026 (Swedish Migration Agency).

Germany

Germany has no overall annual quota for skilled workers. Access depends on qualifications, the job offer and, for the EU Blue Card, a salary threshold of EUR 50,700 in 2026, or EUR 45,934.20 in shortage occupations (Make it in Germany).

Czech Republic

For the employee card, the Czech Republic does not use one overall number. Instead, the vacancy must be published in the central database of vacancies (Ministry of the Interior), and the employer must follow the labour office procedure (Labour Office of the Czech Republic).

Seasonal quotas

Seasonal work is often counted separately. In Italy, 89,000 of the 2027 places are for seasonal work, with agriculture and tourism on different click days. EU law allows seasonal workers to stay for a maximum of five to nine months in any 12-month period, with each country choosing its limit within that range (Seasonal Workers Directive). Our article on seasonal work permits in Europe compares the seasonal rules in more detail.

An example timeline for an Italian seasonal hire

The example below shows how the 2027 dates fit together for a farm in Italy that wants to hire a non-EU worker for the summer harvest. It is an illustration of the official timetable, not a promise of any outcome.

1. October and November 2026: the farm agrees the job, pay and dates with the worker and collects the worker's passport details.
2. By 7 December 2026: the farm pre-fills the application on the ALI portal in the seasonal agriculture category.
3. 12 January 2027, from 9:00: the farm sends the application on the agriculture click day and saves the receipt.
4. After the checks: if the application falls within the quota and is approved, the authorisation is issued and the worker applies for a visa at the Italian consulate.
5. Arrival: the worker enters Italy and completes the formalities at the one-stop office with the employer.
6. End of season: the worker leaves within the period allowed by the seasonal permit.

The same pattern applies to tourism on 9 February 2027, with a different click day. A farm that misses the pre-filling stage and the click day may still apply later in 2027, but there may be no places left.

Points that are often misunderstood

• The quota is not a list of vacancies. It is a ceiling on approvals. It does not mean that 165,850 jobs are waiting for applicants.
• A quota figure for one year does not carry over. Each year needs a new decision. Figures from 2025 or 2026 should not be used for 2027 planning.
• Quota rules can change during the year. Hungary stopped new guest worker permits in June 2026, partway through the year.
• Quotas do not replace other checks. Pay, employer standing and documents are still examined.

What quotas mean for workers

Timing matters more than usual

In a quota country, a perfect application filed too late can fail simply because the places are gone. If an employer in Italy wants to hire you for 2027, ask whether they pre-filled the application before 7 December 2026 and which click day applies.

You cannot apply on your own behalf

In Italy and in most quota systems, the employer files the request. A worker cannot reserve a quota place by paying a fee to a third party. If someone asks you for money to secure a quota place, read our guide on how to spot a fake job offer for Europe before paying anything.

A quota place is not a permit

Being counted within a quota is only one step. The authorities still check the employer, the job and the worker, and the visa can still be refused. If that happens, see our guide on why work permits are refused in Europe.

What quotas mean for employers

• Plan a year ahead. Quota decisions are usually published months before the year starts. Build them into your hiring plan.
• Prepare documents before the window opens. On a click day, there is no time to collect passport scans or contract terms.
• Have a fallback. If the quota fills, consider whether the worker can be hired in a country without a quota, or whether the start date can move.
• Watch for policy changes. Hungary shows that a route can close during the year.

How to check the current quota yourself

Quotas are set by official acts, so the reliable sources are government pages:

• Italy: the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of the Interior publish the flows decree and the operating circulars.
• Hungary: the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing and the National Legislation Database.
• Romania: the government decision on the annual quota and the National Employment Agency.

When you find a figure, check three things: the year it applies to, whether it is a ceiling for the whole country or for one sector, and whether a later act has changed it. Search for the decree number and year, not just the word quota, because many websites repeat figures from earlier years. If you need a broader picture of what changed in 2026 and what is confirmed for 2027, see our tracker of Europe work permit changes for 2027.