Fresh air, stunning views, tranquility. How many of you have been dreaming about ditching it all and moving to an Italian village? Now you can move to Abruzzo and get paid! The region of Abruzzo will pay up to €15,000 over a maximum of three years to people willing to relocate to mountain villages for at least five years. The financial incentive is offered in attempt to tackle population decline in mountain municipalities.
The Regional Council has published a list of 173 municipalities that qualify, all above 600m above sea level, with a population of less than 3,000 inhabitants. Most of them have experienced a population decline above the regional average in the past 5 years.
Italian, EU citizens or foreigners with a permesso di soggiorno can avail of the incentive. It will be paid monthly, €2500 per year for three years of residency.
The payment will be doubled to €5000 per year for those families who start a business. The villages are especially eager to welcome entrepreneurs who plan to recover old and historical properties (e.g. you can open a B&B, hotel). Similar projects exist in Calabria, Piedmont and Molise. All of them vary in details but have proved a success as many people want to move to Italian villages and get paid.
Requirements
If you want to move to Abruzzo and get paid these are the requirements:
- The family’s annual income (Italian or EU citizens) must not exceed €25,000.
- Family members have to be Italian residents for at least five consecutive years or Italian passport holders resident abroad who intend to return to Italy.
- Take up residency in one of the approved municipalities (see the list below) within 90 days from the successful application.
- Stay in the village for at least five years, or a penalty of forfeiture of the contribution and repayment of the sum will apply.
For younger families whose child is born in the village there is an additional bonus: twelve monthly payments up to a maximum of €2,500 per year, from the birth of the child for three consecutive years.
Read more on the topic:
How to apply
Contact the municipality in the village of your choice to inquire about “incentivi per i nuovi residenti” (incentives for new residents) and get the application form. Note, that there is no definition of a family in the directive, so couples without children may also qualify. Interestingly, no age limit is mentioned.
You can read the full text of the directive (in Italian) here.
Villages that will pay you to move in
Although these villages are small, many of them have shops, restaurants, doctors, good roads and everything you might want for a comfortable life.
Provincia L’Aquila: Acciano, Anversa degli Abruzzi, Ateleta, Barete, Barisciano, Bisegna, Bugnara, Cagnano Amiterno, Calascio, Campo di Giove, Campotosto, Canistro, Cansano, Capitignano, Caporciano, Carapelle Calvisio, Castellafiume, Castelvecchio Calvisio, Castelvecchio Subequo, Cerchio, Civita d’Antino, Civitella Alfedena, Cocullo, Collarmele, Collelongo, Collepietro, Corfinio, Fagnano Alto, Fontecchio, Fossa, Gagliano Aterno, Gioia dei Marsi, Goriano Sicoli, Introdacqua, Lecce nei Marsi, Lucoli, Massa d’Albe, Molina Aterno, Montereale, Morino, Navelli, Ocre, Ofena, Opi, Ortona dei Marsi, Ortucchio, Ovindoli, Pacentro, Pereto, Pescasseroli, Pescocostanzo, Poggio Picenze, Prata d’Ansidonia, Raiano, Roccacasale, Rocca di Cambio, Rocca di Mezzo, Rocca Pia, San Benedetto in Perillis, Sante Marie, Sant’Eusanio Forconese, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, San Vincenzo Valle Roveto, Scanno, Scontrone, Scurcola Marsicana, Secinaro, Tione degli Abruzzi, Tornimparte, Villalago, Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi, Villavallelonga, Villetta Barrea, Vittorito.
Provincia Teramo: Arsita, Basciano, Bisenti, Canzano, Castel Castagna, Castelli, Castiglione Messer Raimondo, Castilenti, Cellino Attanasio, Cermignano, Colledara, Cortino, Crognaleto, Fano Adriano, Montefino, Pietracamela, Rocca Santa Maria, Torricella Sicura, Tossicia, Valle Castellana.
Provincia Pescara: Abbateggio, Bolognano, Brittoli, Bussi sul Tirino, Caramanico Terme, Carpineto della Nora, Castiglione a Casauria, Civitaquana, Civitella Casanova, Corvara, Farindola, Lettomanoppello, Montebello di Bertona, Pescosansonesco, Pietranico, Roccamorice, Salle, Sant’Eufemia a Maiella, San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, Serramonacesca, Tocco da Casauria, Turrivalignani, Vicoli, Villa Celiera.
Provincia Chieti: Archi, Bomba, Borrello, Montebello sul Sangro, Carpineto Sinello, Casalanguida, Castelguidone, Castiglione Messer Marino, Celenza sul Trigno, Civitaluparella, Civitella Messer Raimondo, Colledimacine, Colledimezzo, Dogliola, Fara San Martino, Fraine, Fresagrandinaria, Furci, Gamberale, Gessopalena, Gissi, Lama dei Peligni, Lentella, Lettopalena, Liscia, Montazzoli, Monteferrante, Montelapiano, Montenerodomo, Monteodorisio, Palena, Palmoli, Palombaro, Pennadomo, Pennapiedimonte, Pizzoferrato, Pretoro, Quadri, Rapino, Roccamontepiano, Roccascalegna, Roccaspinalveti, Roio del Sangro, Rosello, San Buono, San Giovanni Lipioni, Schiavi di Abruzzo, Taranta Peligna, Tornareccio, Torrebruna, Torricella Peligna, Tufillo, Villa Santa Maria, Pietraferrazzana, Fallo.
