Should LORs be from professors in my own field or can they be from other university staff in France/Italy for a Master's?

Yes, your LORs should ideally come from professors in your own field for a France or Italy master's, since admission committees there prioritize subject specific academic validation over general praise. You do have some flexibility, but not all recommenders carry equal weight.

Recommender Hierarchy For France And Italy

How To Structure 2 Or 3 LORs

• If you need 2 letters, use two professors from your field, or one from your field plus one from a closely related subject or workplace supervisor.
• If you need 3 letters, use two academic references from your department plus one from an outside professor or workplace supervisor.
• Make sure every letter is on official letterhead, signed, stamped, and sent from an institutional email address, since France and Italy verify references strictly.

My Advice

Pick a professor who actually knows your work in detail over a senior department head who barely remembers you, since a specific, detailed letter always beats a vague, glowing one. If you are short on academic recommenders, a workplace supervisor is a genuinely strong substitute, especially for a professionally oriented master's or MBA.