Spas in Italy: Considering a Spa Career in Italy - What You Should Know

We have all seen the film footage– acres and acres of rolling green fields, expansive views of the sea, crumbling cottages nestled into the sides of hills–who wouldn’t want to consider a spa career in Italy? But, before you pack your bags and jump on the next flight to Italy, consider a few of these things first.

Spas in Italy are different. Italian spas are all about water. Italy is one of the largest spots in the world for thermal spas, something the Italians refer to as “terme” or mineral spring waters. Since the time of the Romans, people have been coming to “take the waters” in Italy, an experience which is supposed to restore good health and promote wellness. Due to the reputation for healing these spas have received, Italy is becoming known for “health care tourism” and many of the spas in Italy focus some of their treatments on healing medical conditions. What results, are spas which feel more like clinics with less of an emphasis on pampering. Most of these spas employ at least one physician, and it is routine for clients to meet with the physician before undergoing any treatments.

How to start a spa career in Italy. Once you have acquired the appropriate online spa management training, there are several ways to approach your spa career in Italy. The important thing to keep in mind is that you will probably be denied a visa if you don’t have a job lined up. But lining up a job is difficult if you don’t live there. Try searching internet job search boards for the easiest and cheapest solution. Several websites associated with the spa industry have international job listings. Websites to try are: www.spasworldwide.com, www.internationalspaassociation.com, www.espa.com and the Institute of Spa management has a very busy international job board for current students and alumni. If the job boards don’t work out, you can travel to Italy and make connections that way. Italy has several spa regions, target a few of the areas that look interesting and visit the spas. Try to meet with the person in charge of hiring, and maybe you will leave the country with a job offer. One last method to launch your spa career in Italy is to start working for an international chain. At some point they may have openings for spa jobs in Italy which you can apply for.

Qualifications. Italian spas are like any other spa and they want experienced and educated employees. If you aspire to work in a traditional Italian spa, you may want to consider –studying about and working in –a medical spa. A medical spa is probably the closest equivalent to a traditional Italian spa and having spa director or manager experience in this type of environment would be beneficial in the clinical Italian spa environment.

Legalities. Italy is a notoriously difficult place to find work if you are coming from outside the country. Those coming from other EU countries will have it a little easier, but no matter where you are coming from, Italy has a lot of rules and red tape that must be dealt with. Check with the nearest Italian consulate to get information on the rules and regulations surrounding work visas.

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