AVV. FABIO LOSCERBO: New on TikTok: Conversion of a Seasonal Residence Permit, Late Filing, and Administrative Review: Clarifications from the Emilia-Romagna Regional Administrative Court I am Attorney Fabio Loscerbo, and in this new episode of the podcast Immigration Law we analyze a particularly relevant ruling concerning the conversion of a residence permit from seasonal work to subordinate employment, issued by the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per l’Emilia-Romagna, First Section, published on December 22, 2025, in general registry case number 1710 of 2025. The case originates from a denial issued by the Immigration Desk of the Prefecture of Modena against a seasonal worker who had applied for conversion after the expiration of his residence permit. The Administration based the refusal on three arguments that frequently recur in practice: the alleged late filing of the application, the failure to meet the requirement of 39 working days, and the supposed irrelevance of the defensive observations submitted during the administrative procedure. The Court first addresses the issue of procedural adversarial participation, clarifying that it cannot be treated as a mere formality. In this case, the Administration ignored a written submission filed pursuant to Article 10-bis of Law No. 241 of 1990, incorrectly stating that the applicant had not provided any observations. According to the Court, this omission directly affects the lawfulness of the decision, as it prevents a complete administrative investigation and an adequate statement of reasons. With regard to the requirement of 39 working days, the Court recalls that, in the agricultural sector, seasonal work is assessed by days worked and on the basis of actual social security contributions. In the case examined, the documentation showed that the minimum threshold had been exceeded, yet the Administration had carried out no concrete verification, limiting itself to a purely assertive denial. On this point as well, the decision was found to be flawed. The most delicate issue concerns the late filing of the conversion request. The Court reaffirms a principle that is now well established: Article 24, paragraph 10, of the Italian Immigration Consolidated Act does not provide for any mandatory deadline. The expiration of the seasonal permit does not automatically preclude conversion. The only relevant limit is that of reasonableness, which must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In this specific situation, despite a significant delay, the continuity of the applicant’s employment excluded any elusive or abusive intent. The appeal was therefore upheld, and the Administration was ordered to reassess the case within sixty days. This decision sends a clear message: the administrative management of immigration cannot be based on automatic refusals, formalistic approaches, or superficial investigations, but must instead be grounded in factual circumstances, actual employment, and procedural safeguards. I am Attorney Fabio Loscerbo, and this was a new episode of the podcast Immigration Law.