Fruit Picking Jobs Italy: All You Need to Know

Looking for all the best fruit picking jobs in Italy?

Maybe you have dreamt of visiting the iconic ancient Roman gladiatorial arena, the Colosseum, Roman church, and historic tombs like Pantheon and wandering at Leaning Tower of Pisa to make the typical pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the gram.

Or you might just have dreamt to visit scenic vineyards and view them while having the best wine from the best local wineries in Italy.

But then you realize, well, it’s so expensive! How can I make this dream become a reality?

Then, why not try fruit picking jobs in Italy?

You can stay in Italy, make money, meet people all over the world, get fit, have fun, create memories and also save money while fulfilling your dream to visit Italy as a tourist.

If you are like me, this sounds exciting!

Well, you might wonder what fruit picking jobs are, the requirements, and how to find the fruit picking jobs here, so let’s dive in!

We will share all things you need to know and you can pack your bag and book a ticket to Italy!

fruit picking jobs italy olives — Photo by Gary Barnes on Pexels

Summary of fruit picking jobs Italy (and how to find them!)

Work Exchange Platforms
Useful Websites
Job Boards For Italians

By the way, if you are looking for other great destinations to explore in Europe, read these articles:

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DISCLOSURE

Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.

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But planning for a trip takes AGES! How an earth are you going to remember everything and organise it all? You just want to focus finding all the best fruit picking jobs in Italy, amirite?

OK – problem solved with this super super savvy Essential Travel Planner. There is an accomodation detail and research sheet, best places to stay, eat ,see, what to pack and outfit and activities checklists .. just to name a few!

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Where to Find Fruit Picking Jobs In Italy

fruit picking jobs italy — *Photo by* *Mick Haupt* on Unsplash

It depends on you, whether you want to pick strawberries, grapes or apples. And where do you want to go ?

You can find a strawberries picking job at Emilia Romagna during June if you want to pick strawberries.

Later in summer when it is getting hotter, you can go to Alto Adige and Valtellina for apple picking jobs in Italy.

Fancy grape picking job? Head to Turin, Piemonte and Alto Adige around September.

You can also find grape picking jobs Italy in:

Lazio
Marche
Piedmont
Puglia
Trentino
Tuscany
Veneto

To find a fruit picking job, the easiest way is to visit the local information center, which will provide you with a list of farms in the area and also you can get information about the fruit picking salary there.

You can also go to local employment offices (uffici di collocamento) and agricultural co-operatives (Sezione C,ircoscrizionale per l’Impiego Collocamento in Agricola/SCICA), although it’s generally best to contact farms directly.

Being cold and wet are two bad combinations, especially when you’re outside doing long hours of fruit picking. Prepare for wet rainy days by getting a Lightweight Waterproof Jacket, which you’ll thank yourself in the long run.

Work Exchange Platforms

If you are not interested in making money and want to immerse yourself in the local culture, you can work picking fruits in Italy in exchange for food and accommodation.

You can look further to these work exchange websites:

You will need to register and pay an annual fee which is lower than 50EUR(60USD) but you get food and accommodation for free.

Other Useful Websites

Farm Jobs

For English speakers, you can search for fruit picking jobs in Italy here.

You will need to send your CV to them, they evaluate and will provide a job program for you. If you meet the requirements needed from the farmer, they will contact you and proceed with the next step.

The good thing about this company is they also provide a 4-week intensive Italian language course and all the necessary services.

In case you still want some added information and recommendation, you can look into some websites which tell their experience in fruit picking jobs in Italy, like this one and this one.

You can get to read their experience and insights on grape picking jobs in Italy.

Picking Jobs

This website tells you, especially about fruit picking jobs. You can find fruit picking jobs here based on the locations.

You can choose the locations, and lists of farms will be listed. You can directly contact the farm to search for any farm jobs that you want.

Anywork Anywhere

This website lists you a short-term seasonal job worldwide. They have varieties of jobs offered whether it is a ski instructor vacancy for the winter or a camp job for summer.

You can search for fruit picking jobs here. You choose the countries where you want to work and the type of jobs you want to do.

Job Boards for Italians

If you are an Italian and want to find fruit picking job and don’t want the hussle finding it, below are job boards where you can apply for picking jobs in Europe:

Visas & Requirements That You Need For Fruit Picking Jobs Italy

If you are an EU Citizen then the process is easier.

If you are not an EU citizen and you come to Italy to do seasonal work, you need a specific visa/ visto and you can also choose for:

Per soggiorno di breve durata (short stay)

You can stay in Italy for 90 days. This type of visto is especially for tourists, business trips or cultural visits. The cost of this visto is €60.

Per soggiorno di lunga durata (long stay)

You can stay in Italy for more than 90 days. This visto is mainly for work, study or family reasons. A visto per soggiorno di lunga durata costs €116.

You will also be asked to provide specific documents based on the type of visto that you apply for, to confirm your reason for entering Italy.

Talk to your employer if they can apply for a visa for you.

They can send the applications through these associations:

And if you love to have fruit picking Italy as your career, you can turn your visa into a visa for permanent work!

However, you might want to have travel insurance just to have peace of mind, in case anything bad happens, theft for example. It is uncommon to have this incident but it is better to have a safety net especially when you are abroad and not having relatives there.

How To Get To The Farm

Most likely, you already secured a job and are wondering how to get there. You can ask your employer the best way to go to the farm.

However, if you are not in Italy, you can always choose a plane for traveling to Italy. The best way to find out more about individual flight availability and schedules is to try airfare search engines, which will give the best possible airfare.

If you are already in Italy, you can go to the farm by taking a train.
The railway system is good and inexpensive. You can buy your ticket here. You can also get around using a bus. It is usually one of the cheapest ways to travel.

Food & Accommodation

If you are a WWOOFer, then food and accommodation will be no problem for you because you will be volunteering to fruit pick in exchange for room and board.

You get to know other people from all over the world and taste the tastiest wine in beautiful surroundings.

Usually, you will have to stay in dormitories or shared bedrooms.

If your employer does not provide accommodation, usually you will have to pay for the accommodation and food. Be clear with food and accommodation before you proceed with the job.

If you own a car and the farm is not too far, you could try Couchsurfing. You can also rent a holiday home with other pickers, but that will cost you so much more.

In some cases, students normally camp while working. You can also set up with other team pickers or if you like privacy, you can set up your camp alone.

It might be stating the obvious, but getting a pull-over jumper can make a huge difference, especially when you have cool mornings and hot afternoons. you want something light and easy to carry while fruit picking.

What Is A Fruit Picker & Their Job Scope

Often known as a backbreaking job, fruit-picking is indeed hard work because you need to be fit to do the job easily.

For a fruit picker, the task is picking fruit according to size and ripeness. Sometimes you also have to discard rotting and over-ripened produce.

If you have machinery skills, you can operate farm machinery to harvest fruit and vegetables. You can also have to sort and pack produce if needed.

Depending on which type of farm you are working on, the task may vary, and usually, you will have to do a little bit of everything including cooking if you stay in provided accommodation.

Your daily routine will be almost the same every day.

During the harvest, you will have breakfast at 7am to be in the fields by 8am. At around 10 am, you will have a break, with light food to re energize. You can have dried fruits or cookies.

The work will continue until noon. You will break for lunch and continue picking until 5pm or 6pm. That is your day at the farm every day.

Why You Must Choose Fruit Picking Jobs In Italy?

You Can Be A Tourist While Earn Money

While having a fruit picking job in Italy, you can also explore Italy, home to many of the world’s greatest works of art, architecture, and gastronomy.

You might earn and save most of your money if your farm provides food and accommodation. They also will give you a break at least once a week, and you can use your off-day to have fun and play the tourist!

Working With A Magnificent View

On a normal day, our 9-5 jobs will be sitting at a desk, facing other cubicles or our colleague with a very boring view, i.e wall, street and sometimes we don’t even have a view at all.

If you are lucky or in a higher position, you will have a window and you can look outside.

What if while you are working, you get to watch mountains and trees, lakes and clouds, under sunlight and being outdoors most of the time? If you like me, this is the dream! Although fruit picking job pays less than office jobs, it pays with having a scenic view and I get to enjoy my lunch break while laying in a hammock under a cloud.

Free Wine!

If you appreciate good wine, then you will be grateful to have a grape picking job in Italy for your working holiday.

Sometimes you will get free wine from your employer. To enjoy the wine after a hard-working day, and get to sip a freshly made wine and not even pay for it? Well then yes, please!

How Much Is Fruit Picking Salary In Italy?

The average fruit picker’s gross salary in Italy is 15.773EUR(18.6USD) or an equivalent hourly rate of 8EUR(9.44USD).

You can earn 1046 EUR (1228USD) a month, or even more than that.

Sometimes, depending on the farm you are working on, you will get paid per weight of the picked fruit and vegetables, but the payment varies depending on the type of fruits.

What Fruits Are In Season For Picking In Italy?

A wealth of farm jobs in Italy exists across both Northern and South Italy. Aside from the wine grapes, Italy’s primary crops include tomatoes and olives.

Most fruit picking jobs in Italy are from July to September. Except for lemon and orange picking, it is from early January to mid-March.

You can plan earlier if you want to have orange picking jobs for your working holiday.

What Jobs Are In High Demand In Italy

Seasonal Jobs

Aside from fruit picking jobs, there are plenty of seasonal jobs including bar, hotel, and restaurant work.

You can also find employment in summer camps or holiday resorts and if you have some skills on the slopes, you could work at the ski resort. Sounds fun, right?

If you have got some childcare experience, you would possibly consider finding work as an au pair. You will stay at the parents’ house while you care for their kids.

Here are the websites where you can find seasonal jobs:

Teaching Jobs

You can speak English? Then that is great! English teachers are in high demand in Italy, so there are plenty of opportunities.

The majority of teaching jobs are available in large towns and cities such as Rome, Florence, and Milan.

Check this article on how to become an English teacher, even if you have no experience.

Is Fruit Picking Hard Work?

It is hard, physically demanding work.

But if you know the right technique, it is not as hard as it sounds. Check this article on unique tips on how to make grape or orange picking jobs as smooth as a breeze.

Nevertheless, you still have to be fit.

I am not talking about world-athlete fit, just you will feel your muscles sore at the end of the day. You can be ready for the job by exercising 3 times per week and building a bit of stamina before you go to the farm.

If you still think fruit picking is hard work? Read unique tips below to ease your mind.

Related Posts on Fruit Picking Jobs:

Unique Tips You Should Know

Here are the tips if you want to make fruit picking jobs in Italy easier!

Observe Experienced Pickers

Well, this is your first time. And the first time is usually the toughest.

One of the ways to make fruit picking jobs easier is to observe experienced pickers. They have experience and they must know their job.

So spend some time watching other pickers and then you can copy their technique.

Outfit And Gear

You also have to prepare the right gear and clothes such as gloves.

Gloves may be worn to protect hands from thorny branches, depending on the fruits you are working on.

Most fruit-picking tools are usually provided.

Next, is your clothes. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes during working because you will sweat a lot. Bring a lot of T-shirts, tracksuits and a couple of jumpers for colder days.

As it is an outdoor labour job, getting yourself a pair of cheap trainers will save your nice and expensive shoes from getting dirty and worn out.

Pick With Two Hands

This may sound weird, but this is a unique tip.

Most people will start fruit picking with just one hand. Use two hands so you will go twice faster. Maybe you will feel awkward at first but it will be easier with time.

You can watch a better way to pick blueberries here and learn when and how to pick an orange here.

Conclusion

There you have it. All you need to know for fruit picking jobs in Italy. I hope this article will get you insight on fruit picking in Italy and will help you prepare well.

Now you can start finding the best farm and pack your backpack because you are going on an adventure!

Good luck!

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