New Process and Regulations for the Recruitment of Third-Country Nationals in Greece

With Law 5038/2023, the previous law 4251/2014 was replaced, and the Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) 133226/2024 (Official Gazette 2626) was issued, defining the required conditions and documents for the admission and employment of third-country nationals in Greece. At the same time, with Presidential Decree 56/2024 (Official Gazette A’ 210), the maximum number of positions and the sectors covered were determined, such as agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing, and tourism.

General Guidelines for Submitting an Application:

An employer wishing to hire employees from third countries submits an application to the Directorate of Aliens and Immigration of the Regional Administration where they are based. The application includes:

• The number of job positions

• The details and nationality of the candidates

• The occupation and the duration of employment

Required Documents:

• A work contract for at least one year, with a salary equal to or greater than that of unskilled workers

• A tax declaration or a tax clearance certificate proving that the employer can pay the wages

• Payment of €200 per employee, which is paid to the State and is non-refundable

Special Categories of Recruitment and Criteria:

1. High Specialization (EU Blue Card):
   The employer submits a tax document showing annual revenues of ≥€60,000 to hire a high-skilled worker.

2. Employment with an Employment Relationship:
   The minimum annual income is €22,000 per employee.
   For self-employed individuals or legal entities, the limit is €60,000.
   For the agricultural sector, the €22,000 limit also applies, including subsidies.
   When the employer wishes to hire multiple employees, the income criteria are multiplied by the number of positions.

3. Seasonal Employment in Tourism:
   The application must be accompanied by evidence showing the relevance of the occupation to the work activity.
   The minimum annual income is €22,000 per employee, or €60,000 for self-employed individuals.
   The evaluation is based on the submitted documents, and previous restrictions from the previous Activity Code Numbers (KAD) no longer apply.

Total Recruitment for 2025: 89,290 workers from third countries.

Estimated Needs: Over 360,000 vacant positions in Greece.

Sectors with the Highest Demand: Primary sector (agriculture), tourism, construction.

Categories of Employment:

• Seasonal Work: 45,670 positions (mainly agricultural workers).

• Dependent Employment: 41,670 positions (unskilled workers, factory workers, office employees).

• High Specialization: 2,000 positions.

Specialties in Demand:

• Unskilled agricultural workers (about 36,000 for seasonal work).

• Factory workers (1,430), manufacturing (3,000), machine operators.

• Office employees (5,000), mainly for subsidiaries of foreign companies.

• Domestic helpers (1,500) and caregivers for the elderly/disabled (1,000).

• Hotel cleaners (2,750) and kitchen assistants (2,200).

Comparison with the Previous Two Years (2023–2024): A total of 180,442 recruitments were approved.