A job in Greece for non-EU citizens
Are you a non-EU citizen wishing to work as an employed worker in Greece? You can find information below on the conditions to fulfill and procedures to follow, as well as the rights you can enjoy during your stay.
Conditions
To work in Greece as an employed worker, you need:
- a national visa for employment (Visa D)
- 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, 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
Visa
You must apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate in your country of origin.
Residence permit
As soon as you have arrived in Greece, a lawyer will apply for your residence permit (application for residence permit process)
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:
- a copy of your passport and visa;
- photographs;
- a fee of €300;
- your employment contract; and
- a certificate that you have applied to the relevant insurance agency for full health insurance.
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.
An accountant will apply for tax and social security numbers
After this, your employment will start
