BySherry Laskin Planning Tips

Move to Italy and Get a Little Cash in Your Pocket, Too

Photo: Francesco del Vecchio / Commune Candela

The small Italian town of Candela, on Italy’s eastern side (think Adriatic Sea) wants to lure new residents to its dwindling population. Nicola Gatta, mayor of the medieval town in Puglia, is determined to increase its current resident count of 2,700 to its former days of 8,000 and more.

Editor’s Note – Nov 3, 2017:  There is no link to apply to move here. If you read through this article, you will see my note that no matter how much I tried to find a link, there is NO link anywhere.

The bait?

Mayor Gatta is offering to pay people to relocate to Candela. While not a huge sum, it’s a way to offset the cost of moving and settling in to a new home.

“I work each day with passion and commitment to bring Candela back to its ancient splendor,” says Gatta. “Up until the 1960s, travelers called it ‘Nap’licchie’ (Little Naples), for it streets full of wayfarers, tourists, merchants and screaming vendors.”

According to Stefano Bascianelli, the mayor’s right-hand man, “This is how it works:  €800 for singles, €1,200 for couples, €1,500 to €1,800 for three-member families, and over €2,000 for families of four to five people”. An additional incentive may also include tax credits on city waste disposal, bills and nurseries.

Translated to current USD, that’s about $940 for singles, $1,450 for couples, $1,770 to $2,120 for a family of three and over $2,350 for a family of four  to five members.

Freeloaders aren’t welcome. Rules for new residents to receive the case include: they must take up official residency in Candela, rent a house and have a job which pay at least €7,500 per year. In US dollars, that’s less than $9,000 per year income.

“We don’t want people flocking here thinking they get to live off the town hall’s revenues, all new residents must work and have an income”, continues Bascianelli.

Candela was once filled with street vendors, tourists, families and merchants. Today, the population is mostly elderly. Young people in search of jobs and big city life move elsewhere.

Who’s moved there?

So far, six families from northern Italy have already settled into their new homes and five more families have applied to move.

Try as I might, I cannot find any links to apply. For now, I think that Mayor Gatta’s incentive to move applies mostly to Italians and more easily to Europeans rather than others.

Photos:  Francesco del Vecchio and Annalisa Fred / Commune Candela

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54 Comments

  1. “To have transferred the residence to the Municipality of Candela from 01.01.2017 e no later than 31.12.2017”

    so the deadline has passed?

  3. I’m ready to move, please someone tell me how or where do I apply for this opportunity to relocate. I now live in California, my email (deleted for privacy) The sooner the better.

  4. Very interested, would love to apply. Has anybody still haven’t had any luck getting hold of the application?

  6. Hi Sheila, I think it was intended to attract Italians from urban areas to resettle in their town, and the publicity got out of hand.
    Sherry

  15. I would love to move there and would like more information but am unable to find a working link for the application.

  26. I would like to apply for that as well, with my fiancee. I hope you guys can help me. anyways I am from the Philippines.

  28. Trying To Find Any link for Applying Moving The Italian Town of Candela
    But There is No Any Link …….
    Unfortunately, I’ve looked all over the internet and still can’t find a link to apply..
    If Any One Find Any Link About Applying Moving Candela so Please Update All of us ….
    Thanks and Regards

  37. Couldn’t find a link to apply or even to search houses for that area. Please let me know if you find anything

  40. I am an Engineer and my wife is Consultant doctor in the field of General Medicine and Endocrine and my sister is a Medical Practitioner in the field of Gynaecology. We all can contribute to the best of our abilities to this village of Italy. I have surfed the net but couldnt find any link as to how to file an application for getting residency to Candela, Italy. Can any one or the mayor Nicola Gatta help me to get through with this issue

  43. I had search Alot but cannot find the link if someone know anything about the link please share it

  44. i live in Pakistan and want to apply for candela. we are 4 family members, i m assistant professor and my hubby is banker and have 2 sons. kindly guide me

  46. i want to move there with my family snd want to live my life in candela i love that place when first time i saw that place i gona mad to live there

  52. Hi My name is Danyetta
    I would love to apply to move there I looking for a new place to call home

  53. Hi Neiko,
    Unfortunately, I’ve looked all over the internet and still can’t find a link to apply. If you have any luck, please post in a comment. Thank you.

Comments are closed.