Greece Aims to Speed Up Residence Permit Processing for Foreign Agricultural Workers

Greece, like the rest of the EU, is increasingly dealing with labour shortages, which is jeopardising the respective economies. In efforts to maintain economic growth and attract more foreign labour force, the Greek government is dedicated to improving working conditions and administrative procedures for permit application.

Initiatives to process residence permits faster for agricultural workers were the focus point of a meeting between the Greek Deputy Mayor of Andravida – Kyllini, Giorgos Sklavenitis, and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Greece, Nahida Rahman Shumona, who met in the Lachaina town hall, Schengen.News reports. 

The Greek Deputy Mayor and the Ambassador discussed strengthening collaboration between them and the department responsible for granting permits in order to accelerate the issuance of residence permits for agricultural workers. 

The Andravida region is popular for agricultural workers, and Bangladeshi nationals represent an important labour force in this region, engaged in agricultural production, among others. 

Greece Decided to Grant Residency Rights to Over 30,000 Undocumented Migrants 
In 2023, the Greek government designed a scheme that aimed at targeting shortages of unskilled labour. According to the new law, around 30,000 undocumented migrants who have lived in Greece for the last three years will have the right to obtain residence permits and work in the country. 

This decision mainly affected agricultural workers, including here Bangladeshi nationals, many of whom are engaged in this sector. Albanian, Georgian and Filipino nationals are also among the most affected nationalities by this law. 

On top of granting residence permits, the Greek government also aimed to offer more benefits to migrants who have stayed in the country for longer periods of time.

Greece Turns to Egypt for Labour Force 
The Greek Migration Minister has announced that the country is looking to import workers from Egypt, as the Greek market is dealing with a significant labour shortage. 

Greece and Egypt signed an agreement back in 2022, facilitating the recruitment of 5,000 seasonal workers from the North African country. The first group of 2,400 workers was expected to arrive in Greece last summer. 

In 2022, around 3,405 Bangladeshi migrants under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) obtained residence permits, while thousands are awaiting the decision for their application. 

Some of the requirements include having a valid Bangladeshi passport, proof they lived in Greece before 2022 and proof they were employed. By meeting these requirements, Bangladeshis in Greece can retain legal status. 

These migrants are required to first register at the Bangladesh Embassy in Athens and then apply for an online visa on the Greek government’s website.

Source: https://schengen.news/greece-aims-to-speed-up-residence-permit-processing-for-foreign-agricultural-workers/