Sicilian companies still have time to ask for the bonus for permanent hires, but it is not certain that the platform will remain open until the formal deadline of 31 December 2026. The Irfis notice in fact provides for the closure of the acquisition of applications when the amounts requested reach a total of 110% of the budget available for the year. For 2026 the resources amount to 150 million euros.
The measure, managed by Irfis FinSicilia on behalf of the Sicilian Region, finances new permanent hires and the transformation of fixed-term contracts into stable relationships.
How much is the Sicily hiring bonus worth?
The ordinary contribution covers 10% of the total cost of the work for 36 months. The percentage rises to 15% when specific conditions are met, including the hiring of women or workers over 50 who have been unemployed for at least two years.
The increase is also envisaged in the presence of certain corporate welfare interventions, requirements related to ESG sustainability, additional investments in health and safety or agreements that provide for the stable reduction of working hours to 35 hours per week for equal pay.
Which hires are allowed
The contribution concerns new permanent hires made starting from 9 January 2026, provided that the worker carries out his/her activity in an office located in Sicily.
The transformations of fixed-term contracts into permanent contracts are also included in the relief. However, apprenticeship and domestic work relationships are excluded.
Who can request the contribution
Employers and economic operators in the private sector can access the incentive. The notice also includes non-profit persons or entities, as long as they carry out economic activities and comply with all the requirements.
These include an active VAT number, at least one production unit in Sicily, regular contributions, compliance with labor regulations, collective agreements and anti-mafia legislation.
However, specific categories indicated in the notice are excluded, including operators in the agricultural sector, except for agro-industrial companies, public economic bodies, some consortia, moral bodies and ecclesiastical bodies.
The de minimis limit of 300 thousand euros
The incentive is granted in compliance with the European de minimis regime. This means that the company must verify that it does not exceed the overall limit of 300,000 euros of aid over three years, also considering the contribution requested with this measure.
Compliance with the limit is therefore one of the decisive checks to verify the actual possibility of obtaining the benefit.
How to submit the application
The request must be submitted exclusively online through the dedicated Irfis platform. The request must be forwarded by the employer or the legal representative of the organization: the notice does not allow presentation through attorneys or delegates.
A digital signature is required and a stamp duty of 16 euros must be paid. Each applicant presents a single application including all the workers concerned for each year.
The request must be made in the year in which the worker is hired and the contribution is calculated on the cost of work actually incurred in the 36 months following the date of hiring.
When does the 2026 hiring bonus expire
For 2026 the platform will formally remain open until 12pm on 31 December. However, the notice establishes that the acquisition of requests stops when the total amount requested reaches 110% of the available budget.
For this reason, interested companies find it convenient to verify possession of the requirements in advance and not necessarily wait until the last days of the year.
The windows for 2027 and 2028
For 2027 the platform will be open from 12pm on January 4th to 12pm on December 31st. For 2028, however, the expected window runs from 12 noon on 3 January to 12 noon on 29 December.
The expected budget is equal to 150 million euros for each year of the three-year period 2026-2028, for a total of 450 million, subject to any variations and residual availability.