Residence route
Work permit — the single residence-and-work permit
For non-EU nationals with a job offer from a Greek employer.
- Permit duration
- Typically 1–2 years, tied to the employment
- Headline requirement
- An employment contract with a Greek employer, at or above the applicable minimum.
- Where you apply
- Employer-initiated, then a Greek consulate for the entry visa
Last verified 12 September 2026 · 1 day ago · checked by spec-import Every figure on this page was checked against its source on this date.
Governing authority: Ministry of Migration and Asylum
What this route is
This is the route for someone a Greek company wants to hire. It combines the right to live in Greece and the right to work for that employer into one permit, following a 2026 reform that replaced the older two-track process with a single combined application.
The important structural fact is that you cannot start it. The employer initiates the application. Without a written job offer from a Greek company willing to sponsor you, there is nothing to file, and no amount of preparation on your side changes that.
Who is actually hiring
The sectors that recruit foreign nationals most actively are business process outsourcing and multilingual customer support, technology, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, construction, agriculture, logistics and shipping, and renewable energy.
Language is the strongest lever. Fluent German, Dutch, French and Nordic-language speakers command noticeably higher starting salaries and signing bonuses in the outsourcing sector, and relocation packages are common. If you speak one of those languages natively, your market in Greece is much better than the national wage averages suggest.
What you will actually earn
Be realistic about the numbers before you move. Greek private-sector pay is low by Northern European standards, and the averages are pulled up by Athens and by a handful of sectors. Read the salary and minimum wage pages before you accept an offer, and remember that Greek pay is quoted over fourteen instalments a year rather than twelve — a comparison that ignores this understates Greek pay by roughly a sixth.
At a glance
In one line: For non-EU nationals with a job offer from a Greek employer. It runs for typically 1–2 years, tied to the employment, and work rights are yes.
| Who it is for | People recruited by a Greek company, most often in tourism, healthcare, BPO, construction, agriculture and logistics. |
|---|---|
| Financial requirement | An employment contract with a Greek employer, at or above the applicable minimum. |
| Initial duration | Typically 1–2 years, tied to the employment |
| Renewal | Renewable while the employment continues |
| Can you work? | Yes. Work is permitted for the sponsoring employer. Changing employer usually requires a new application. |
| Family included? | Yes. Family reunification is possible once the sponsor's income and housing conditions are met. |
| Minimum days in Greece | You are expected to live in Greece and work here |
| Route to permanent residence | Continuous legal employment builds towards long-term resident status |
| Where you apply | Employer-initiated, then a Greek consulate for the entry visa |
Step by step
Times below are realistic rather than optimistic, and they assume your documents are already in order. The slowest part is usually waiting for a consulate appointment.
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Secure a written job offer from a Greek employer
Where Greece Typically Varies
The employer initiates the application. A 2026 reform introduced a single combined residence-and-work application.
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Employer submits the combined application
Where Ministry of Migration and Asylum Typically Reported at several months
The combined application replaced the older two-track process.
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Collect the entry visa at a Greek consulate
Where Greek consulate in your country of residence Typically 2–6 weeks
Issued on the strength of the approved application.
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Arrive, obtain an AFM and an AMKA, and complete biometrics
Where DOY, KEP and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum Typically 2–6 weeks
The AMKA is needed before you can be registered for social security by the employer.
Document checklist
These are the documents the Work permit — the single residence-and-work permit route asks for. Two columns matter more than people expect: an apostille is a certificate that proves a foreign public document is genuine, and a certified translation must be produced by a translator Greek authorities accept. Both take weeks, and both are the usual reason an application is sent back.
| Document | Apostille | Certified Greek translation |
|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Not required | Not required |
| Signed employment contract | Not required | Not required |
| Criminal record certificate | Required | Required |
| Qualification certificates where the role requires them | Required | Required |
What it costs in total
Government fees are the smallest part of the bill. Translation, apostilles, insurance and legal help usually cost more than the permit itself, and they are the costs people forget to budget for.
We do not yet have published fee figures for this route that we are willing to stand behind. Rather than estimate, we have left this table empty until we can confirm them.
Budget separately for apostilles and certified translations of every document marked in the checklist above, and for private health insurance where the route requires it.
Who this is wrong for
We are not selling this permit, so we can tell you when it is a bad fit. If any of these describes you, this route will not work and you should look elsewhere before you spend money on it.
- You do not yet have a Greek job offer. You cannot start this route speculatively.
- You hold EU, EEA or Swiss nationality — you may work in Greece without a permit.
- You want to change employer freely. The permit is tied to the sponsoring employment.
- You intend to work remotely for a foreign employer. That is the Digital Nomad route, not this one.
What this does to your tax
Employment income is taxed under the progressive scale with EFKA contributions deducted. Transferring tax residence to Greece may qualify you for the 50% inbound worker exemption.
The trigger that catches people is time, not intention. Spending Days in Greece that trigger tax residency 183 days or more in a calendar year makes you a Greek tax resident regardless of the other tests. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.183 days — source and verification date
Read how Greek tax residency is decided and the 2026 income tax scale.
Questions people actually ask
Can I look for work in Greece while on a tourist stay?
You can have conversations, but you cannot start the permit process from inside Greece as a tourist, and you cannot begin working before the permit is issued. Treat a visa-free stay as a chance to interview and see the city, not as a path into employment.
Can I change employer?
Not freely. The permit is tied to the sponsoring employment, and changing employer generally requires a new application. This is the main practical difference between this route and the EU Blue Card, which offers more mobility.
How long does it take?
Reported at several months from the employer submitting the application to you collecting an entry visa, plus further weeks in Greece for biometrics and the residence card. Employers who have done it before are much faster than employers doing it for the first time.
What is EFKA and will it come out of my pay?
EFKA is the national social security fund. Employee contributions are deducted from gross pay and the employer pays a larger share on top. Sources disagree on the exact employee rate, so we have flagged it as unverified. Whatever the precise figure, budget for a meaningful deduction between gross and net.
Do I need an AMKA before I start work?
Yes. The AMKA is the social security number, and your employer cannot register you without it. You need an AFM tax number first, because the AMKA application asks for it. That sequence — AFM, then AMKA, then employment registration — is fixed.
Does this lead to permanent residence?
Continuous legal employment builds towards long-term resident status. The specifics depend on rules we have not verified, so ask a Greek immigration lawyer rather than relying on a timeline you read online.