Personnel relocation to Greece is a process that takes into account immigration matters, as well as employment law issues. Employers need to consider the need for their staff to obtain and maintain a valid residence permit that also allows the holder to engage in remunerated work and observe the rules for employment and the protection of staff.
Companies interested in this step can reach out to our local Greece immigration experts for assistance throughout the required steps.
Our team assists not only employers but also individuals who are already in the country and wish to know more about how they can renew or change a Greek residence permit.
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EU and non-EU employed workers in Greece
The conditions for EU and non-EU workers in Greece are different in terms of the individual’s need to obtain the right to enter the country.
Citizens of European countries can enter Greece and remain here for up to three months, however, for the purpose of employment, they will also require a work and residence permit for medium to long-term purposes, or as otherwise stated in their employment agreement.
When interested in employee relocation to Greece, the employer is well advised to keep in mind the specific differences that apply if their workers are coming from countries outside the European Union.
Non-EU citizens who wish to work in Greece need to apply for and obtain:
- a national visa for employment;
- a residence permit for employment.
The employer who wishes to hire non-EU salaried staff needs to submit an application to the Decentralized Administration in their area of residence. The application will include:
- the valid work agreement, with a duration of at least one year, which clearly stipulates the conditions for employment, and personnel relocation to Greece, among which the monthly remuneration amount;
- a tax certificate attesting to the employer’s ability to sustain the remuneration.
The approval for hiring non-EU citizens is issued on a case-by-case basis, for specific employees. Upon the receipt of the approval, this is forwarded to the consular office in the future employee’s country of origin. There, he/she will conclude the process by submitting the final documents (as may be required), signing the final employment agreement, and receiving the visa that allows them to enter Greece.
An important issue all employers need to consider, for the purpose of hiring staff in general, not only for personnel relocation to Greece, is the minimum wage value. This will increase in 2023, as briefly outlined below:
- the Greek government decided to increase the value of the minimum wage starting on April 1st, 2023;
- the minimum wage was increased to 780 euros, marking a 9.4% increase compared to the previous value;
- the hourly wage was increased to 34.84 euros.
Moving to Greece
Both the employer and the employee must comply with the ongoing requirements for hiring foreign staff. Below, our Greece immigration agents highlight the steps that are followed by the foreign non-EU national moving to the country for employment purposes:
- Apply for the visa: this is done at the embassy or consulate in the country of origin;
- Apply for a residence permit: once the individual is in the country the obligation is to apply for a residence permit in Greece as an employed worker before the visa expires.
If you need additional information on how to move to Greece, or if you are an employer looking for assistance with employee relocation to Greece, our team will assist you.
Contact us for complete information on relocation matters, the type of residence permits, and citizenship in Greece for foreign nationals who have been living in the country for a number of years and are interested in this step.
