Work Permits & Immigration in Greece

Hiring a non-EU national in Greece generally requires an employer-sponsored immigration route, a Greek national entry visa and permission to reside and work in the country. Law 5038/2023, Greece’s Migration Code, sets the underlying rules, while Law 5275/2026 changed the admission and single-permit framework, including reducing the minimum employment contract for the standard sponsored route from twelve to six months.

Greek employers must also consider annual limits on admission, the candidate’s immigration status, minimum remuneration and the specific employment rights attached to the permit. A residence document that allows someone to live in Greece does not necessarily permit them to take a salaried job.

For international companies, the starting point is to establish the right immigration category and the identity of the lawful Greek employer. An Employer of Record in Greece may provide local employment without a foreign company establishing its own subsidiary, but work authorisation must still match the worker, role and employing entity.

Who Needs a Work Permit in Greece?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens generally have free-movement rights and do not need a Greek work permit for employment. Employers must nevertheless fulfil normal employment registration, payroll and social insurance requirements. Residence registration rules can apply to longer stays.

Third-country nationals generally need a residence status that explicitly permits employment. This includes UK nationals who are not covered by a separate protected status, as well as professionals recruited from other non-EU countries. An ordinary Schengen short-stay visa or visa-free visitor status is not a substitute for permission to work.

Different rules apply to people who already hold Greek immigration status, such as qualifying family members, beneficiaries of international protection and some residence-permit holders. Employers must examine the rights attached to the particular document rather than assume every non-EU candidate needs a new employer-sponsored application.

Greek Work Permit and Immigration Categories in 2026

These routes are not interchangeable. For example, an ICT permit requires a genuine intra-group assignment, while an EU Blue Card is intended for qualifying highly skilled employment. The appropriate route depends on the actual job and sponsoring entity, not simply the applicant’s seniority.

Employer-Sponsored Work Permits in Greece: The E.4 Route

For many employers recruiting a worker from outside the EU, the principal route is the employer-invitation procedure known as metaklisi, governed by Articles 26 and 27 of Law 5038/2023, as amended.

Employment contract and employer eligibility

Under the 2026 amendments, the employer must submit a lawful employment contract for at least six months. The remuneration must meet the relevant statutory minimum, and the employer must demonstrate financial capacity to pay it. Greece increased the national minimum monthly salary for full-time salaried employees to €920 on 1 April 2026; a higher applicable collective agreement or role-specific condition may increase the required amount.

The employer’s application identifies the candidate, their nationality, the occupation, the place or sector of work and the intended duration of employment. The application goes through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s electronic services to the competent Directorate for Aliens and Immigration of the Decentralised Administration.

The official employer admission portal handles these applications. The standard employer application fee is €200 per person and is non-refundable.

Admission limits and vacancies

Greece does not offer an unrestricted employer-sponsored route for every vacancy. Article 26 provides for government decisions defining the maximum positions available to third-country nationals for different categories of employment. For 2026, the relevant decision is Council of Ministers Decision 35 of 27 November 2025, published on 29 December 2025.

Before promising a start date, the employer must establish whether the intended role falls within an available admission category. A complete application does not guarantee approval if the relevant limit has been exhausted. The rules for highly qualified and specialist categories must be examined separately rather than assuming an exemption applies.

How to Obtain a Work Permit in Greece

1. Employer applies for admission approval

The Greek employer submits the electronic metaklisi application with the employment contract, evidence of its financial capacity and required supporting information. The competent administration examines the documents and the relevant admission availability before issuing an approval.

2. Employee obtains the national entry visa

Following approval, the candidate applies through the competent Greek consulate for a national Type D visa for the authorised employment purpose. The consulate examines identity, travel documentation and the relevant entry requirements. A short-stay Schengen visa cannot simply replace this stage.

3. Employee applies for residence and work permission

After entering Greece, the individual must submit the appropriate residence-permit application electronically before the national visa expires. The employer and employee must ensure that the application matches the approved employment.

Greek authorities distinguish between a basic electronic receipt confirming submission and the subsequent certificate commonly known as the Blue Certificate. The receipt alone does not automatically confer every right associated with the requested permit. The legally effective certificate confirms the rights arising from the pending residence application, including employment rights where the underlying category grants them.

4. Complete employment onboarding

The worker needs a Greek tax identification number (AFM), social security registration number (AMKA) and a bank account for salary payment. The employer must complete the required employment declarations and operate compliant Greek payroll. Our Global HR Compliance in Greece guide covers the accompanying employment-reporting obligations, while Payroll & Employee Benefits in Greece explains statutory remuneration and contributions.

What Changed Under Law 5275/2026?

Law 5275/2026 amended Greece’s Migration Code and implemented changes connected with the EU single-permit framework. The amendments matter particularly to businesses that previously relied on older contract-duration and employer-sponsorship assumptions.

• Six-month minimum contract: the standard employer-sponsored E.4 application now accepts a qualifying employment agreement of at least six months, rather than the previous twelve-month requirement.
• Temporary employment agencies: qualifying Greek temporary employment agencies can participate as direct employers in the admission procedure, subject to additional conditions.
• Agency capital threshold: a qualifying agency must have at least €1 million in share or company capital and meet other statutory requirements, including the employment-agency rules in Presidential Decree 62/2025.
• Employer change: an employee admitted under the standard route generally works for the inviting employer for the initial six months. The law permits earlier changes in specified situations, including certain employer breaches and termination arrangements, subject to notification requirements.

The ability of qualifying temporary employment agencies to sponsor a third-country national does not mean that any intermediary can legally employ and assign foreign workers. Businesses considering an EOR or agency model must examine the provider’s legal capacity and the requirements governing the actual work arrangement. Our article on Employer of Record licensing and regulated hiring explores this wider issue.

EU Blue Card in Greece for Highly Qualified Employees

Greece’s EU Blue Card route, identified in the national immigration categories as E.1, supports eligible highly qualified third-country nationals. It is relevant to roles in technology, engineering, life sciences and other specialist fields where the candidate and position satisfy the statutory requirements.

Eligibility requires appropriate higher professional qualifications or qualifying professional experience, an eligible employment contract and remuneration that meets the salary threshold in force for the application. Regulated professions may also require recognition of qualifications or professional authorisation.

The Blue Card salary threshold is different from Greece’s general minimum wage. Employers must use the applicable officially published threshold for the filing period rather than extrapolate it from the €920 national minimum. The European Commission publishes a Greece EU Blue Card country profile, although some figures on that profile predate the 2026 reform.

For a company recruiting senior specialists, the Blue Card may be more appropriate than ordinary employer-sponsored admission, but the application must satisfy the correct qualification, remuneration and employment conditions.

Intra-Corporate Transfers to Greece

The ICT route serves employees temporarily assigned from a company outside the EU to a qualifying branch or group company in Greece. It is not intended for hiring an unrelated professional into a new position.

Under the EU intra-corporate transfer framework, eligible categories include managers, specialists and trainee employees. The existing employment relationship, group connection, host entity and assignment conditions all matter. The permitted duration is generally capped at three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainees.

Businesses transferring employees between group companies must also examine payroll, tax residence and social security implications. Acumen’s global mobility services address immigration and the connected employment requirements across jurisdictions. Our article on immigration and global mobility planning examines why work authorisation should be considered alongside the wider employment consequences.

Seasonal Work Permits in Greece

Greek law provides distinct immigration arrangements for seasonal employment, including qualifying work in agriculture and tourism. Article 63 of Law 5038/2023 governs seasonal employer admission, while Article 66 covers the related E.6 residence permit.

The E.5 seasonal entry visa may authorise work for a maximum of nine months within a twelve-month period. A separate E.6 residence-permit arrangement can apply to eligible repeated seasonal work, subject to the law’s conditions and limits.

Seasonal work is not a substitute for an indefinite salaried position. Employers must specify the job, duration, pay and working time, and the law imposes additional requirements relating to accommodation for certain agricultural and livestock workers. For workers engaged in fishing, different limits and treaty-related rules may apply.

Family Members and Immigration Status

Family reunification and the employment rights of accompanying family members depend on the sponsoring worker’s residence category and the applicable Greek rules. Some residence statuses permit family members to work, while others impose conditions or require a separate step.

Employers considering an international hire should assess family eligibility early, particularly for senior roles where the feasibility of the move depends on a spouse or partner’s ability to reside and work in Greece. An employment permit for the principal applicant does not, by itself, guarantee identical rights for every family member.

Employer Obligations and Penalties for Unauthorised Employment

Employers must verify both lawful residence and permission to undertake the specific employment. A foreign national may be legally resident but lack access to salaried work. Greek rules also prohibit hiring people without lawful residence documentation.

The Ministry of Labour identifies several distinct sanctions:

Other administrative sanctions and, in serious cases, criminal penalties may apply. Employers can also face exclusion from public benefits or restrictions affecting business operations. Immigration compliance therefore cannot be separated from payroll registration, employment records and the underlying employment contract.

For companies engaging people who already live in Greece as freelancers, the correct analysis also includes whether the proposed services amount to employment. Our Contractor vs Employee in Greece article explains the Greek classification rules, including the nine-month employment presumption.

Can a Foreign Company Sponsor a Work Permit Without a Greek Entity?

The standard employer-sponsored route requires an eligible legal employer and documented employment in Greece. A foreign company without a Greek employing entity cannot assume it can file a Greek employer-invitation application in its own name.

A legally eligible local employer may provide an alternative, including through an EOR arrangement where the model and immigration category permit it. Following Law 5275/2026, qualifying temporary employment agencies have a defined statutory route, but the additional capital and operating requirements underline why the actual employer’s legal status must be verified.

The immigration route also needs to match the intended employment relationship. A worker sponsored by one employer should not be treated as freely transferable between unrelated client companies without examining the applicable permission and employer-change provisions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Work Permits in Greece

Do UK citizens need a work permit in Greece?

Generally, yes, for new employment where the individual has no separate protected or qualifying immigration status. UK nationality no longer confers EU free-movement rights. The appropriate permission depends on the person’s existing status and proposed work.

What is the main work permit for non-EU employees in Greece?

The E.4 employer-sponsored salaried employment route is a common route for new non-EU hires. It normally involves employer admission approval, a national entry visa and the relevant residence-permit process.

What is the minimum employment contract for the E.4 route in 2026?

Law 5275/2026 reduced the minimum duration to six months. The employer must also meet the applicable remuneration, financial-capacity and admission requirements.

Can an employee work as soon as the residence-permit application is submitted?

Not merely because an electronic submission receipt exists. The worker must hold a document or immigration status that actually grants employment rights. Greece distinguishes the receipt of an electronic application from the subsequent certificate confirming the rights associated with the pending permit.

Can a sponsored employee change employers?

The standard employer-sponsored route generally requires the worker to remain with the inviting employer for the first six months, with statutory exceptions. Changes must comply with the applicable immigration notification and authorisation rules.

Can an Employer of Record sponsor a non-EU national in Greece?

An eligible Greek employing entity may be able to support the appropriate immigration route. However, the legal form and authorisations of the provider, the category of permit and any rules on supplying workers to third parties must all support the proposed arrangement. EOR status alone is not an immigration authorisation.

Work Permits and Employment in Greece with Acumen International

Greece’s 2026 immigration changes offer employers greater flexibility in some areas, but they also make correct route selection and employer eligibility essential. The appropriate approach depends on whether the company needs a permanent employee, a highly qualified specialist, a genuine intra-group assignment or seasonal labour.

Acumen International helps international businesses assess employment and immigration routes in Greece, understand the obligations of the local employer and establish lawful arrangements for hiring foreign specialists. Our services combine immigration expertise with local employment, payroll and ongoing HR compliance support. For international workforce requirements spanning Greece and other jurisdictions, Acumen International provides a single point of contact for employment and mobility decisions.