FondItalia initiates €500k program to train foreign nurses for Italy's health system

FondItalia, together with FederTerziario, UGL and AIOP, has launched the FEMI 2026.01 notice, a €500,000 scheme to train nurses from non‑EU countries and place them in Italian health facilities. The programme aims to alleviate the chronic shortage of qualified nursing staff in Italy’s public and private sectors.

Training will begin in Argentina, where local universities and institutions will deliver language, professional and on‑the‑job modules. Participants will be qualified to meet Italian standards and subsequently hired by Italian health enterprises on contracts of at least twelve months. The initiative includes the “La Salute bene Comune” project, targeting around 200 Argentine nurses for integration into Italy’s health system.

Egidio Sangue, director of FondItalia, stressed that the ageing population “requires more care and a steady supply of trained nurses.” Alessandro Franco, secretary‑general of FederTerziario, added that the plan “offers a structured, replicable model beyond emergency measures.” The first cohort is set to start later this year, with 20 Italian companies already expressing interest in hiring the trained nurses.