The Bank of Italy (Banca d’Italia) regularly runs public selections for “Experts” and “Assistants.” Notices specify degrees, profiles and locations, and applications are filed exclusively online. This guide explains how these selections work and what foreign candidates should do to apply correctly and start a stable public-sector career.
Contents
Overview
Selections are launched by an official notice (bando) that sets profiles, requirements, deadlines, exam programs, and scoring. Open calls are listed on the Bank’s careers website; some selections may also appear on national portals. Timelines vary by intake, but the Bank indicates that competitions typically conclude within a matter of months, from notice to final ranking. For the latest open calls, start from the Bank’s “Concorsi aperti” page. To understand the general process, see the Bank’s “Informazioni sui concorsi”.
Eligibility
Each notice defines who can apply. Experts typically require a Master’s degree (laurea magistrale) in specified fields (e.g., economics, law, statistics, engineering, IT, accounting/auditing), sometimes with additional expertise (procurement, regulation, supervision). Assistants generally require a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (or, for certain intakes, a diploma plus specific experience), again in listed subject areas. Citizenship, language and recognition rules follow Italian public-sector law and the Bank’s internal regulations: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens normally compete like Italians (unless a post is reserved), while non-EU candidates may apply when expressly allowed by the notice and if they hold the right to work in Italy on the start date. Some profiles have no general age limit but verify exceptions in the FAQs and in each notice. Knowledge of Italian is usually essential because tests, procedures and on-the-job duties are in Italian.
Documents to prepare
- Digital identity & tax code: you’ll access the application with Italian e-ID. If you still need it, here’s how to get SPID. Keep your codice fiscale handy exactly as printed on your card.
- Degree evidence: diploma(s) and transcripts as PDFs. If your degree is foreign, include recognition/statement of comparability if the notice requires it.
- CV and “titles” (titoli): certifications, postgraduate courses, publications, professional experience—only items correctly declared earn points.
- Valid ID: the same identity details must match across passport/ID, SPID, and the application form.
- Optional: disability accommodations requests, language certificates, and PEC address if specified.
How to apply online
- Find the notice. Open the official call on the Bank’s Concorsi aperti page and read every section (requisiti, prove, titoli, modalità di presentazione).
- Access the form with SPID/CIE. Complete the application strictly in Italian and exactly as per your ID and tax data. Upload documents in the required formats and naming conventions.
- Declare your “titoli.” Use the correct fields; if a document is not declared properly it may not be scored.
- Pay any fee via PagoPA. Save the receipt and the final application PDF. Track communications in your reserved area.
Exams and scoring
Notices set the exact structure, but typical schemes include written tests (technical/disciplinary and legal/administrative), a practical/IT component for certain profiles, and an oral exam. The program usually mixes the profile’s core subjects (e.g., financial markets, banking regulation, statistics/econometrics, corporate law, IT security) with public-sector basics (administrative procedure, transparency, privacy, anti-corruption). Titles (titoli) such as degrees with specific marks, postgraduate training, certifications or relevant experience add points per the notice’s table. Convocations, test dates and rankings are announced via the Bank’s portals and, when applicable, through official bulletins.
Contract, pay and locations
Winners are hired on permanent public-sector contracts governed by the Bank’s internal framework. Duty stations can be in Rome (Head Office) or in branches across Italy; in some intakes, the destination is specified in the notice, otherwise the assignment is decided after the selection. Pay includes base salary, 13th month and role-related components, with structured progression and training. If you are choosing between public employment and private offers, weigh stability, mobility options and benefits against any higher private-sector headline pay.
What expats should prepare
Italian proficiency. Exams and daily work are in Italian. If your technical profile is strong but your Italian is rusty, plan several weeks of exam-style practice on legal/administrative terminology.
Identity consistency. Make sure your SPID, passport/ID, tax code and degree names match (order, diacritics). Mismatches are a frequent cause of validation errors.
Tax and onboarding. Before the contract starts, you’ll provide payroll data (IBAN, family status for deductions, tax residence). If you’re moving to Italy or switching from freelancing, consider a short consult to coordinate your first payslips and deductions—see do I need a commercialista?
Timeline and results
After the application deadline, the Bank publishes convocations and exam calendars; written tests are usually centralized and oral exams follow for those admitted. Final rankings (graduatorie) are posted online and successful candidates are contacted for onboarding. The Bank indicates indicative overall durations for a standard competition cycle; large intakes can take longer depending on participation and logistics.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Most exclusions are avoidable. Candidates miss deadlines, upload the wrong file formats, or fail to declare titles correctly. Others use an English-only CV or untranslated certificates even when the notice requires Italian. Treat the application like a compliance project: create a personal checklist, mirror the notice’s headings, and do a final pass 48 hours before submission.
Where to check official updates
All authoritative information—requirements, deadlines, exam programs, convocations and rankings—lives on the Bank’s website. Start at Concorsi aperti, then browse “Informazioni sui concorsi” for the selection model and indicative timelines. The Bank’s English-language career pages and FAQs also explain work locations, general age-limit rules, and how assignments are decided.
