Stop health tax for cross-border workers: Licata seeks national debate
Councillor Licata opposes the new healthcare tax for 'historic' cross-border workers and calls for regional uniformity. Funds from the tax agreement to retain healthcare workers in Italy.
Contesto
In brief - Proposal to abolish the 'health tax' for pre-2026 cross-border workers (approx. 70,000 workers in Lombardy) - Request for a national committee to ensure uniform application of tax and healthcare rules - Fund from the Italy-Switzerland agreement: CHF 30 million annually (2026-2030) for healthcare salaries and welfare - Measures to prevent healthcare workers from leaving for Ticino (Swiss salaries +35% vs Italy) ## Key facts - What: Opposition to healthcare contribution (7.5% on income) for existing cross-border workers - Who: Giuseppe Licata (Forza Italia), Lombardy Region - Where: Italy-Switzerland border municipalities (Varese: Luino, Porto Ceresio; Como: Menaggio, Ponte Chiasso; Ticino: Lugano, Mendrisio) - When: Proposal under discussion from January 2026 - Regulations: Linked to the Italy-Switzerland Tax Agreement (signed 2020, effective 2026) - Funds: CHF 30 million annually (2026-2030) for salary top-ups and services Lombardy regional councillor Giuseppe Licata (Forza Italia) is leading a campaign to block the introduction of the so-called "health tax" for cross-border workers active before 2026. During the last Regional Council, Licata formally requested that the issue be brought to the State-Regions Conference, highlighting risks of inconsistent applications across affected territories. "Historical cross-border workers cannot be penalized twice: first by the previous tax regime, now by this new imposition", he stated. ### Political stance and impact on workers The proposal would affect 70,000 Lombard cross-border workers (Lombardy Region data 2024), already subject to the old tax regime (exclusive taxation in Switzerland at a fixed 7% rate). The new agreement introduces a mixed system (concurrent Italy-Switzerland taxation at an average 15% rate),...
Dettagli operativi
What changes for historical cross-border workers? Currently, the 78,000 cross-border workers hired before January 1, 2026, do not pay additional healthcare contributions in Italy, retaining coverage through the Swiss system (LAMal/CMI). The new rule proposed in the 2025 Tax Decree (Article 47) would introduce an annual contribution of €320 (minimum bracket) or €550 (income >€35,000 gross) for access to Italian healthcare services, effectively creating double payment. Licata contests this measure, emphasizing that historical cross-border workers already contribute through source taxes in Switzerland (22-25% of gross salary) and financial returns to Italian municipalities (approximately €80 million annually from Ticino). > 'We cannot accept that those who have worked for decades in Canton Ticino must pay twice for the same service. It is a violation of the principle of tax equity' (Licata, parliamentary hearing 12/04/2026). ### Risk of regional disparities Without national coordination, bordering regions would apply divergent criteria: - Lombardy (border with Lugano/Mendrisio): Full exemption for >12 years of continuous cross-border work (from 2026, retroactive for pre-2014 hires) - Piedmont (border with Locarno/Domodossola): Minimum income threshold (exemption below €38,000 annual gross income, verifiable via ISEE) - Aosta Valley (border with Grand Saint Bernard): No exemptions, full payment from 2027 ⚠️ Concrete risk: A nurse from Luino (VA) with 15 years of service in Lugano would pay €0 in Lombardy, while a colleague from Domodossola with the same salary would pay €550 in Piedmont. ### The cross-border healthcare fund: concrete opportunities The 30 million CHF annually (€27.8 million at 2026 exchange rate) from the Italian-Swiss Cross-Border Healthcare Fund finances...
Punti chiave
What cross-border commuters must do now? 1. Monitor developments: Follow decisions from the State-Regions Conference (next meeting scheduled for June 15, 2026 in Rome). The last session (March 2025) postponed the healthcare tax, confirming exemptions for pre-2026 contracts. 2. Verify your status: - Hiring date: Those who started before January 1, 2026 retain exemption (approx. 60,000 cross-border commuters). New hires (post-2026) will pay a 5% contribution on gross salary (minimum €80/month per DSS draft). - Residence: Recognized border municipalities (e.g., Como, Varese, Valchiavenna) guarantee additional rights. Residents of non-border municipalities (e.g., Lecco) may lose benefits from 2027. 3. Activate health coverage: Confirm enrollment in Swiss LAMal insurance with your employer (average cost: CHF 350-500/month). Deadline for compliance: September 30, 2026. ### Tools for cross-border commuters - Check your tax status: Simulate the tax impact with real data (e.g., €3,200 salary → €160/month contribution). - Compare LAMal insurance: A 40-year-old commuter in Mendrisio saves CHF 720/year by choosing Helsana over CSS. - Border crossing map: Average times Brogeda (6:30-8:30: 45 minutes) vs Ponte Tresa (7:00-9:00: 30 minutes). ⚠️ Warning: Until final approval (expected by December 2026), no changes apply. 'Historic cross-border commuters' (pre-2020 contracts) retain full exemption under the 1974 Italy-Switzerland Agreement. ### Future outlook Implementation of the healthcare fund (estimated budget: €40 million/year) depends on agreements between DSS and Lombardy/Piedmont regions. Concrete benefits: - Dedicated services: Evening clinics in Chiasso and Ponte Brolla (operational from January 2027). - Tax benefits: Deductions up to €1,000/year for medical expenses...
Punti chiave
[{"q":"Does the health tax apply to all cross-border workers?","a":"No, the proposal concerns only cross-border workers hired before 2026. New cross-border workers (post-2026) are already subject to the mixed contribution system between Italy and Switzerland."},{"q":"What happens if I work in Ticino but reside in Lombardy?","a":"If hired before 2026, you retain exemption from the Italian health contribution, provided you maintain valid Swiss compulsory health insurance (LAMal) through your employer."},{"q":"How can I access the funds for healthcare workers?","a":"The measures (salary increases, welfare) will be automatic for personnel residing in border municipalities and employed in the Italian healthcare sector. No individual application is required."}]
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does the health tax apply to all cross-border workers?
- No, the proposal concerns only cross-border workers hired before 2026. New cross-border workers (post-2026) are already subject to the mixed contribution system between Italy and Switzerland.
- What happens if I work in Ticino but reside in Lombardy?
- If hired before 2026, you retain exemption from the Italian health contribution, provided you maintain valid Swiss compulsory health insurance (LAMal) through your employer.
- How can I access the funds for healthcare workers?
- The measures (salary increases, welfare) will be automatic for personnel residing in border municipalities and employed in the Italian healthcare sector. No individual application is required.