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Greece · Ελλάδα Southern Europe · EU · Schengen · GR

Working in Greece

Blue water, shipping, tourism, and a suspicious ability to turn coffee into an all-day activity. Greece mixes islands and archaeology with logistics, tech, energy, and hospitality work that runs on warmer weather and plenty of paperwork.

Last reviewed

2026-04-23

Official sources checked

11

Maintained by

Alex Duggleby

Permit routes
5
Official sources
11
Applicant scenarios
3 of 7
Typical processing
The route pages currently show up to 90 days for complete files, and the Blue Card page adds a 30-day target for recognized employers.

01

Overview

Greece's non-EU work system is built around employer-backed entry rather than a broad job-seeker route. The main practical paths are standard dependent employment after an employer invitation, the EU Blue Card for highly qualified hires, intra-corporate transfer for group-company moves, and researcher residence permits tied to a hosting agreement, plus sector-limited seasonal work. Most cases combine a national D visa stage with an online residence-permit filing after arrival, while seasonal work can remain visa-only. 2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')9Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence Permit Categories for Third Country Citizens & Documents to be Submitted

The exact Blue Card salary threshold is dynamic and the route page defines it by reference to the Greek average gross annual salary, so applicants should verify the live threshold before the contract is signed and filed. 7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting6Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Codification of legislation on the entry, residence and social integration of third-country nationals in Greece

02

Permit routes

5 routes currently recognised

Dependent employment permit

★ WORKERS WITH A GREEK EMPLOYER THAT IS READY TO RUN THE INVITATION AND CONTRACT PROCESS

This is the main employer-backed work route outside the Blue Card. The employer starts the invitation process, the worker uses the national visa and residence-permit pipeline tied to that approval, and the contract and insurance file have to match the route's labour and immigration requirements.

Min salary
At least the wage level required for the filed employment category; verify the current contract and labour-law floor before the employer submits the invitation.
Timeline
No single public end-to-end SLA is published; the case moves through employer approval, D-visa issuance, and post-arrival residence filing.
2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas

EU Blue Card

★ HIGHLY QUALIFIED HIRES WITH A GREEK CONTRACT THAT MEETS THE BLUE CARD SALARY RULE

Greece runs the EU Blue Card as the high-skill route for third-country nationals. The applicant needs a qualifying contract of at least six months, the right level of professional qualifications, health insurance, and salary at the current highly qualified threshold, then files online after entering Greece within the visa window.

Min salary
At least the current highly qualified employment threshold, described on the official route page as 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual salary; verify the live threshold before filing.
Timeline
The official route page lists up to 90 days for a complete file, with a 30-day decision target for recognized employers on the current Mitos page.
7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting6Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Codification of legislation on the entry, residence and social integration of third-country nationals in Greece

Intra-corporate transfer permit

★ MANAGERS, SPECIALISTS, OR TRAINEE EMPLOYEES MOVING WITHIN THE SAME GROUP TO GREECE

The ICT route is for secondments from a third-country group company to the Greek group company. The Greek host side has to obtain approval before the visa stage, and the route is limited to the listed role types rather than general hiring from outside the group.

Min salary
No single public route-wide amount is surfaced on the initial-issue page; verify the host-company package and current category rules before filing.
Timeline
The official ICT page currently shows a 90-day estimate and notes that the permit is valid for one year or the shorter transfer period.
8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece

Researcher residence permit

★ RESEARCHERS WITH A GREEK HOST INSTITUTION AND A COMPLIANT HOSTING AGREEMENT

Greece offers a dedicated researcher route tied to a hosting agreement with the research organisation. The file turns on the host relationship, insurance cover, and the specific ministry checklist, including the approval basis when the host is a private research body.

Min salary
No single public salary floor is shown in the ministry checklist; verify the host arrangement and current route conditions with the authority handling the file.
Timeline
The practical timeline depends on the visa leg and the residence filing, so use the host institution and current authority checklist to confirm the live schedule.
9Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence Permit Categories for Third Country Citizens & Documents to be Submitted11Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Researchers (Article 61) - initial granting4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas

Seasonal work visa

★ TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL, LIVESTOCK, OR FISHING WORK WITH AN EMPLOYER INVITATION

Seasonal work in Greece is not a general open labour-market route. The Ministry of Labour limits it to agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishing, and the employer invitation file has to fit the quota and accommodation rules that apply to seasonal workers.

Min salary
Sectoral pay and contract terms apply; verify the current offer and any collective-agreement floor before the employer files the case.
Timeline
This is a temporary visa route tied to the approved seasonal work file rather than a standard long-term residence-permit track.
2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece3Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Legislative framework for the access of third-country nationals to the labour market for seasonal work4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas

03

Eligibility (common baseline)

04

Documents checklist

Passport and current entry permission

The file starts with a valid passport or recognised travel document and, where required, the valid national visa used for the work route.

10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting

Employment contract or employer-backed offer

Dependent employment, Blue Card, and seasonal files all turn on the employer-issued contract or invitation paperwork, and Blue Card contracts must meet the route's six-month minimum.

10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting3Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Legislative framework for the access of third-country nationals to the labour market for seasonal work

Qualification evidence

Blue Card files need proof of the relevant higher professional qualifications, and regulated professions need the recognition basis required by Greek law.

7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting

Insurance proof and permit-fee receipts

The checklists refer to health insurance cover and to the permit-printing fee, plus the category-specific electronic fee where applicable.

10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting

Route-specific host documents

Researchers need the hosting agreement and related host approval basis, while ICT applicants need the group-company secondment package that matches the transfer role.

11Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Researchers (Article 61) - initial granting8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')

05

Application steps

1

Match the case to the right route

Start by deciding whether the case is standard dependent employment, Blue Card, ICT, researcher, or seasonal work, because Greece does not run these as one interchangeable permit and the sponsor-side prerequisites differ.

2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece9Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence Permit Categories for Third Country Citizens & Documents to be Submitted
2

Have the employer or host complete its side first

In Greece, the employer or host institution is usually the first moving piece: invitation approval, Blue Card employer-backed entry, ICT approval, or the hosting agreement all come before the worker's residence file can sensibly proceed.

2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')11Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Researchers (Article 61) - initial granting
3

Apply for the national D visa when the route needs it

The Greek consular authority in the country of origin or legal residence issues the national work visa, and the worker uses that visa to enter Greece for the long-stay route that was approved.

4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece
4

File the residence permit online after arrival

Blue Card and ICT route pages say the application is filed online with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum after entry, and the applicant needs the route-specific evidence pack uploaded before the visa or permit window closes.

7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')
5

Keep the certificate and follow-up requests in view

A timely complete filing can produce the certificate of submission that preserves legal stay and route-linked rights while the case is pending, but the worker and sponsor still need to answer any authority follow-up quickly.

2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting

06

Timelines & fees

Typical timeline

Fees

First-time residence permit fee plus card printing Usually EUR 150 plus EUR 16 for routes such as dependent employment and the Blue Card; verify the exact category code before paying.

The permit-printing fee is explicit in the ministry checklists, while the route fee depends on the exact filing category.

10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting7National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting
ICT initial permit fee The current Mitos page shows EUR 166 total for the initial ICT filing; verify the live fee before payment.

Use the route page in force on the filing date because public fee displays can change.

8National Registry of Administrative Public Services — Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')

07

Community tips

Anecdotal · Not verified · Treat with appropriate skepticism

Anecdotal — not official

“Expect the employer side to set the pace”

Recent forum threads keep circling back to the same point: applicants do not get far until the employer has actually finished the invitation or approval side and can tell them which work route they are using.

Logged 2026-04-23 · Recent Reddit threads in r/greece and visa forums

Representative source

“Keep the submission certificate handy while waiting”

People dealing with Greek immigration delays repeatedly mention carrying the submission certificate or interim PDF because local admin steps and travel planning get harder when the physical permit has not arrived yet.

Logged 2026-04-23 · Recent Schengen and Greece expat discussions

Representative source

08

Warnings and uncertainty

Warning

No broad job-seeker route surfaced in the core work system

The official Greece work pages center employer-backed entry, Blue Card, ICT, researcher, and seasonal categories rather than a general non-EU job-seeker permit, so readers should not assume they can move first and search later.

2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece4Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Visas
Warning

Seasonal work is narrow and sponsor-led

Seasonal work is limited to agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishing, and the employer must also meet the accommodation and invitation conditions rather than simply issuing an informal offer.

2Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Work for third country nationals in Greece3Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs — Legislative framework for the access of third-country nationals to the labour market for seasonal work

Some Ministry of Migration route checklists for dependent employment and researchers still surface through older attachment pages, so the local authority or ministry portal should be re-checked for the live document list right before submission.

9Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence Permit Categories for Third Country Citizens & Documents to be Submitted10Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting11Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Researchers (Article 61) - initial granting

09

Official sources

Government portals and legislation this page cites

1

Greece

european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/greece_en

official · European Union · checked 2026-04-23
2

Work for third country nationals in Greece

ypergasias.gov.gr/en/labour-relations/individual-employment-relations/work-for-third-country-nationals-in-greece/

official · Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs · checked 2026-04-23
3

Legislative framework for the access of third-country nationals to the labour market for seasonal work

ypergasias.gov.gr/en/brexit-2/legislative-framework-for-the-access-of-third-country-nationals-to-the-labour-market-for-seasonal-work/

official · Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs · checked 2026-04-23
4

National Visas

www.mfa.gr/en/services/national-visas/

official · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-04-23
5

Entry and residence of third-country nationals in Greece - National Legislation

www.mfa.gr/uk/en/services/visas/national-visas/entry-and-residence-of-third-country-nationals-in-greece-national-legislation/

official · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-04-23
6

Codification of legislation on the entry, residence and social integration of third-country nationals in Greece

www.mfa.gr/missionsabroad/images/docs/ethnikes_theoriseis/codification_of_legislation_en.pdf

legislation · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-04-23
7

Residence permit for highly qualified employees ('E.1') following approval of the employer's request – Initial granting

en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94%3AResidence_permit_for_highly_qualified_employees_%28%E2%80%98E.1%E2%80%99%29_following_approval_of_the_employer%E2%80%99s_request_%E2%80%93_Initial_granting

official · National Registry of Administrative Public Services · checked 2026-04-23
8

Inter-company transfer residence permit – Initial issuance ('E.2')

en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94%3AInter-company_transfer_residence_permit_%E2%80%93_Initial_issuance_%28%E2%80%98E.2%E2%80%99%29

official · National Registry of Administrative Public Services · checked 2026-04-23
9

Residence Permit Categories for Third Country Citizens & Documents to be Submitted

migration.gov.gr/en/migration-policy/metanasteusi-stin-ellada/katigories-adeion-diamonis-politon-triton-choron-dikaiologitika%E2%80%8B/

official · Ministry of Migration and Asylum · checked 2026-04-23
10

Residence permit for dependent employment (Article 15) - initial granting

migration.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/1.1.1-Residence-permit-for-dependent-employment-Article-15-1.docx

official · Ministry of Migration and Asylum · checked 2026-04-23
11

Researchers (Article 61) - initial granting

migration.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3-3-1-%CE%95%CF%81%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%82-%CE%86%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%81%CE%BF-61-.docx

official · Ministry of Migration and Asylum · checked 2026-04-23