Conditions
To work in Greece as an employed worker, you need:
- a national visa for employment;
- a residence permit for employment.
According to the new Migration Code, Greece implements a system of volumes of admission of non-EU nationals for the purposes of dependent/salaried employment, which are included in a joint ministerial decision issued every two years setting the maximum number of jobs for salaried employment by region and specialty jobs. For this decision to be issued, the opinions of competent bodies (Economic and Social Council of Greece, Greek Manpower Employment Organisation, the Regions of the country), with regard to the current employment needs in the Greek territory, are taken into consideration. These needs are defined mainly according to the following criteria: consultation between the regional authorities and employer agencies, the interest of national economy, the feasibility of the employment, the labour offer by Greek nationals, citizens of the European Union or legally residing in Greece non-EU nationals per specialty and the percentages of unemployment per section of employment.
On the basis of this maximum number, employers who wish to employ salaried staff should apply to the Decentralized Administration of their place of residence, submitting also i) a valid work contract of at least one year, where it is clearly mentioned that the monthly remuneration of the person to be employed will amount to at least that of an unskilled worker and ii) a tax certificate where it is evidenced that the employer can actually pay this remuneration. The Secretary General of the Decentralized Administration can only approve the employment of non-EU citizens by the specific employee, if the specialization in question is included in the aforementioned joint ministerial decision and the number allowed has not been covered already. This approval is being sent to the consular authority where the employees concerned are informed to present themselves in order to sign the employment contract and receive their visa to enter the country.
Procedures
| Where and how to apply | Visa You must apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate in your country of origin. [see Invitation Procedure above in “Conditions”] Residence permit Upon arrival, and before your visa expires, you must apply for a residence permit as an employed worker. All applications for residence permits are submitted at the one-stop-shops of the Decentralized Administration. When you apply, and if all the necessary documents are submitted, you are issued a certificate which is valid for one year and during its validity you reside legally in the country. If your application is still pending after one year, a new certificate will be issued and you will be informed on the reasons of the delay. The competent Department of the Decentralized Administration examines your application and issues a residence permit valid for two years. |
| Documents required | To apply for a visa, you need a number of documents (such as your passport, a signed copy of the employment contract, and a copy of your criminal record) that are set in a Decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Because of the new Code for Migration and Social Integration (Law 4251/2014), also an approval decision on the employment of the non-EU citizen by a specific employee issued by the Decentralized Admisistration is required for the issuance of the requisite visa. . To apply for an initial residence permit, you need:
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| Duration of validity of permits | Residence permits to work as an employed worker are valid for two years and can be renewed for three years. Applications for renewal should be submitted two months before the permit expires. Late applications for the renewal of residence permits may be submitted up to one month after the expiry; in such case, the non-EU citizen is subject to a fine of € 50. Applications for renewal of residence permits for employed workers are submitted to the Decentralized Administration of the applicant’s place of residence, accompanied by all supporting documents and the set fee. |
| Appeals | Appeals against reasoned decisions may be lodged to the administrative court, as well as to the administrative authority that originally issued the decision. |
| Further information | N/A |
Rights
Non-EU citizens legally residing in the country enjoy the following rights:
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| Unemployment | Non-EU citizens legally residing in Greece are insured at competent social security organizations and enjoy the same social security rights as Greeks. To renew your residence permit, no employment contract is necessary, but you need to have fulfilled your tax obligations, to have a minimum number of wages at the relevant insurance organization and to have a valid health insurance certificate. |
| Change of employment | You can sign an employment contract with another employer during the validity of the initial residence permit under the condition that this does not affect the professional specialization for which this permit was issued or the social security organization in which you are insured. You can work in another Regional unit one year after the issuance of the initial residence permit. This is also the case for change of professional specialization withing the dependent employment status. |
| Long-term residence | |
Long-term resident permit If you have resided in Greece lawfully and continuously for five years before submitting your application, you can apply for a long-term resident permit provided that:
You will still be able to apply for this status if you have been absent from Greece for less than six consecutive months and/or 10 months during this five-year period. You must submit your application to the authority that issued your last/previous residence permit, and meet all necessary conditions. The decision should be issued within six months, which can be delayed for an additional three month period. The long-term resident permit is valid for five years and is renewable for five years. A long-term resident enjoys equal treatment with Greek citizens in the following:
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