Move To Italy (And Get Paid To Do It)

Have you ever imagined waking up surrounded by lush meadows, snow-peaked mountains, and chestnut forests? Well imagine getting paid to move there. Giovanni Bruno Mattiet, the mayor a tiny village of Locana is offering foreigners up to just over $10,000 to make this seemingly dreamscape a home. Locana is the latest in a list Italian towns offering unbelievable property deals in a bid to revive their depopulated communities.

Amazing, right? There must be a catch, right?

Of course there is. 

Those wishing to take advantage of this offer must have at least one child and a minimum annual salary of $6,800. 

Locana’s population has shrunk from 7,000 residents in the early 1900s to barely 1,500, after people left looking for a job at Turin’s big factories. The village school also faces the risk of shutting down due to so few pupils, so the aim is to draw mostly young people and professionals who work remotely or are willing to start a life in Italy. The $10,000 payout will also be payed out over the course of 3 years rather than a single lump-sum payment. 

Every year in the town there are only 10 births but 40 deaths, thus making it very hard to sustain a population, so while the offer was first only for Italians or foreigners who already live in Italy, the program has been extended to also include foreigners living outside Italy.

There are dozens of closed shops, bars, restaurants and boutiques just waiting for new people to run them. The country has already seen success stories, like Ollolai on the island of Sardinia, which sold dozens of properties for around $1, which have already been refurbished by young professionals and more Italians relocating to the village. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how to Move To Italy (And Get Paid To Do It)! Ready to make the big move? Our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes are sure to put you on the path to fluency so you can enjoy all that Italy has to offer (along with your brand new picturesque dwelling)! Click below to learn more.