MMigratalent

Country work-permit guide

Greece work permit and immigration guide for non-EU workers

Greece sets a national volume of admissions for dependent, highly skilled and seasonal work under Migration Code article 26. The legal mechanism for caps is verified; the exact current numeric admission ceiling should be retrieved from the latest joint ministerial decision.

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Overview

Greece sets a national volume of admissions for dependent, highly skilled and seasonal work under Migration Code article 26. The legal mechanism for caps is verified; the exact current numeric admission ceiling should be retrieved from the latest joint ministerial decision.

Quotas, caps and ratios

  • Quota / cap: Admissions volume (art. 26).
  • Migration Code article 26 provides for a national volume of admissions for dependent, highly skilled and seasonal work; the precise 2025–2026 figure is set by joint ministerial decision.

Employer eligibility and restrictions

  • Admissions volumes and sector allocations are set by ministerial decision under article 26.
  • No fixed employer ratio or company solvency threshold was verified.
  • Blue Card, seasonal and special-purpose routes require separate review.

Main work-permit routes

  • Dependent work
  • EU Blue Card
  • Seasonal work
  • Digital nomad visa
  • Special-purpose work

Recent vacancies — Greece

24+ recent vacancies aggregated from Jobfind.gr, Proson.gr, kariera.gr. These vacancies are aggregated from public job boards and are time-sensitive — roles may be filled or expired. Always confirm the offer, employer and any fees directly with the source or employer before applying or paying anything.

Application process

  • Quota / sector availability — Authority via Ministry of Migration and Asylum (jointly with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security): An annual Cabinet Act fixes the maximum number of positions for dependent and seasonal employment per sector and region, and the employer must confirm the intended post falls within an open quota before recruiting a third-country national.
  • Employer recruitment application — Employer via Ministry of Migration and Asylum (online single-permit portal): The employer files an electronic recruitment application together with an employment contract of at least six months and proof of financial capacity to pay the worker. (EUR 200 per worker (employer recruitment fee, Law 5275/2026))
  • National entry visa (type D) — Worker via Greek Embassy or Consulate in the worker's country of origin: Once recruitment is approved, the worker applies at the competent Greek consular authority for a national (type D) entry visa for employment, presenting passport, the signed contract and a criminal-record certificate.
  • Entry and single-permit application — Worker via Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Directorate for Foreign Citizens and Migration / one-stop service): After entering Greece on the D visa and before it expires, the worker submits the single-permit (combined residence-and-work) application and supporting documents through the Ministry's online procedure.
  • Filing certificate issued — Authority via Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Directorate for Foreign Citizens and Migration): If the file is complete, a certificate of submission is issued immediately, which serves as a temporary residence-and-work authorisation until the single permit is produced.
  • Single permit decision and issuance — Authority via Ministry of Migration and Asylum: The competent directorate examines the application and, if approved, issues the single permit authorising both residence and dependent employment. (Decided within 90 days of a complete application, extendable by up to 30 days in exceptional cases (Law 5275/2026))

Processing time and government fees

  • Overall processing time: The single-permit application must be decided within 90 days of submission of a complete application, extendable by up to 30 days in exceptional cases (Law 5275/2026).
  • Government fees: Employer electronic recruitment application: EUR 200 per worker (Law 5275/2026). A residence-permit issuance fee of EUR 300 applied under the pre-2026 separate-permit framework (EU Immigration Portal); the exact single-permit issuance fee under Law 5275/2026 should be confirmed with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. National (type D) visa fees are set by the consular authority and are not published here.
  • Verified that Greece moved to a single-permit procedure under Law 5275/2026 (transposing EU Directive 2024/1233) administered jointly by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Ministry of Labour, with a 90-day decision deadline, a EUR 200 employer recruitment fee and a six-month minimum contract; the exact single-permit issuance/visa fees and current online-portal step sequence still need confirmation on the official Ministry of Migration and Asylum pages. This is operational guidance, not legal advice.

Core documents

  • Valid passport meeting the destination validity rule
  • Signed work contract or binding job offer
  • Proof of qualifications / professional experience
  • Criminal-record certificate (apostille/legalisation where required)
  • Certified translations of foreign documents where required
  • Proof of health insurance and accommodation where required

Certified translators & interpreters — English (page filtered for English-language members)

219 certified Greece translators/interpreters from PEEMPIP – Panhellenic Federation of Professional Translators – Translators' Directory; SYDISE – Hellenic Association of Conference Interpreters – Members Directory. Click any name to open their on-site Migratalent profile (with the original source listing linked there). Sworn/certified translation is typically required for diplomas, criminal-record certificates and civil documents in the work-permit file. Verify accreditation directly before engaging.

Common questions

Does Greece cap foreign workers?

Yes, through a national volume of admissions under Migration Code article 26 for dependent, highly skilled and seasonal work. The exact yearly numbers are set by joint ministerial decision.