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Can anyone offer advice? I am interested in re-locating to Italy for work purposes and find it hard to glean any salary information. I am a fashion buyer with 6 years experience. Do you know what salary level I could expect and what is the percentage for tax in Italy.
Also, anyone happen to be friends with Roberto Cavalli or Giorgio Armani and want to put a good word in for me?!!!
thanks!
At the risk of opening a big old can of worms, I have to say the job situation in Italy can be very difficult and frustrating. Obviously your qualifications and experience may make a difference, but unfortunately ‘who’ you know is much more valuable than ‘what’ you know here. I live and work in Milan, and found my job through the UK office of a multi-national. It really is the only way. Salaries are amongst the lowest in Western Europe (consider that the average national salary in Italy is now at €1000 per month after tax) and the cost of living in the big cities is easily comparable with that of the UK. Taxation is high – around 30% for the average company employee, and a lot more for the self-employed. Unfortunately the most ‘glamorous’ jobs tend to be amongst the lowest paid as there is fierce competition, and many Italians in their 20s and 30s continue living at home in order to avoid paying rent – this means that they can afford to accept at least 500 euros per month less than someone arriving from abroad who needs to find a place to live and pay for it themselves. The most important point to consider, however, is the language aspect. Unless you are lucky enough to find a job via a UK organisation which will base you in Italy but not require you to speak Italian, then you need to speak fluently. As I said, competition is fierce and there are many qualified, experienced professionals who are unable to find work in their own fields, so you might need to bear that in mind. Sorry if this advice is very negative, but I’m afraid this is the reality. I suggest you look for something with a UK company which will allow you to travel to Italy, and more importantly will keep you on a UK payroll. You’ll be much better off in the long term. Good luck!
