PROCEDURE

The procedure for relocating foreigners to Greece enables employers to hire workers from countries outside the European Union in order to meet staffing needs. It is an institutional framework that allows businesses to address staff shortages, ensuring the continuity of their operations and their development path.

Revocation applies mainly to two basic types of employment: dependent employment and seasonal employment. Each category is accompanied by specific conditions and procedural stages, which must be respected by both the employer and the prospective employee.

Stages

1. Application from the employer

The employer submits a relevant application to the competent services of the Decentralized Administration corresponding to the place of employment, notifying the staffing need and the details of the proposed employee. The competent authorities then proceed to check the file, in order to determine that the legal conditions for approving the transfer are met.

2. Approval of the application

After the application is approved, the relevant decision is notified electronically to both the employer and the competent Greek Consulate in the employee's country of residence. The foreigner is then invited to come to the Consulate, where he submits the required supporting documents and participates in an interview, so that the process can continue. Provided that the file is complete and no problems arise, a national entry visa for Greece is issued. This stage is usually considered the most time-consuming.

3. Arrival of the foreigner in our country

Upon issuance of the national entry visa, the employee travels to Greece. After his arrival, the employer ensures the acquisition of a Tax Identification Number and Social Security Number, so that the recruitment can be completed and his work can begin legally. Immediately after recruitment, the foreigner submits an application for a residence permit to the competent local service of the Decentralized Administration.

Upon completion of all the above steps, the employee now has full legality to work in Greece.

The following supporting documents are required for the procedure:

For the employer:

  1. Form N (company liquidation) (60,000 euros of gross income per transferred employee is required)
  2. Company Articles of Association
  3. General Certificate of Education (quarterly)
  4. Detailed Representation Certificate (quarterly)
  5. Business registration details (KAD)
  6. Photocopy of representative's ID, telephone number and VAT number

If the business is a sole proprietorship, documents 2 and 4 are not required.

For the employee:

  1. Photocopy of his/her passport
  2. Father's and Mother's Name
  3. Marital Status Certificate or Birth Certificate

- The call for dependent employment is addressed to employers who need staff on an annual basis, i.e. for employment lasting up to 12 months. Upon the expiration of the initial contract, and provided that there is an agreement between the employer and the employee, it is possible to renew it without having to repeat the initial procedure. A fee of €200 is paid for submitting the application per employee, while an additional fee of €100 is required for the issuance of the residence permit.

- The seasonal work call concerns temporary employment needs lasting from 3 to 9 months. The contract can be renewed, if the conditions are met, even for a period of up to 5 years, without having to restart the process from the beginning. In this case, the application fee is €100 per employee and the residence permit fee is €75.

In both categories of transfer, the employer is obliged to ensure suitable accommodation for the employee.