Italy has one of the oldest populations in Europe, and families across the country rely on caregivers every single day. Known locally as badanti, home caregivers support elderly people with daily life – and demand keeps rising in 2026. This work suits patient, compassionate people, and live-in arrangements can suit newcomers who also need accommodation. An ageing population means this demand is structural rather than cyclical, giving caregivers unusual long-term job security.
Job Overview
- Role: Caregiver / Home Care Assistant (badante, assistente domiciliare)
- Industry: Home care and social assistance; private households and care agencies
- Typical employment type: Full-time, often live-in; part-time hourly roles are also common
Key Responsibilities
- Helping elderly clients with washing, dressing, and meals
- Preparing simple meals and assisting with feeding where needed
- Light housekeeping: laundry, tidying, and keeping rooms clean
- Accompanying clients on walks and to medical appointments
- Reminding clients to take medication, without administering it unless qualified
- Providing companionship and monitoring general wellbeing
- Reporting health changes to family members or coordinators
- Helping clients with mobility exercises recommended by physiotherapists
- Keeping a simple daily log of meals, medication reminders, and mood
Requirements
- Patience, empathy, and a genuine interest in caring for people
- Previous caregiving or nursing experience is a strong advantage
- Conversational Italian – communication with the client is essential
- First-aid or care-assistant training is a plus
- Trustworthiness backed by verifiable references
- Valid work authorization and a regular contract; domestic-work contracts are standard in Italy
- Emotional resilience for working with illness and decline
Salary Expectations
Caregivers in Italy are usually paid under the national domestic-work contract. Monthly pay can typically range from about €1,000 to €1,500 net for live-in roles, where board and lodging are included, or around €8 to €12 per hour for hourly arrangements, depending on duties, qualifications, and the region. The national domestic-work contract sets minimum pay levels by task category and hours, and experienced caregivers with nursing skills can negotiate above the minimum. Live-in roles effectively include housing costs, which is a major benefit in expensive cities.
How to Apply
Contact home-care agencies and domestic-work associations, and tap into parish and community networks, which are a very common hiring channel for caregivers in Italy. Official job portals such as the Ministry of Labour’s Cliclavoro portal also carry care vacancies. Always insist on a regular written contract (contratto di lavoro domestico), and if you are abroad, deal only with licensed recruitment agencies in your home country. Churches, cultural associations, and expatriate community groups frequently connect families with caregivers, and these personal introductions often lead to the most stable placements.
Application Tips
- References from families you have helped are extremely valuable
- Take a first-aid or care-assistant course if you can
- Be clear about live-in versus live-out preferences upfront
- Improve your Italian – it directly affects which families hire you
- Always insist on a regular written contract before starting
- Agree on days off and rest hours in writing before you start
Caregiving is demanding emotional work, but families remember a good badante for years. It is one of Italy’s most human professions.