Working in Greece - EU Citizens
Are you an EU citizen and want to work in Greece? Good news! You don’t need a visa nor a work permit.
According to the Article 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which is developed by EU secondary legislation and the Case law of the Court of Justice, free movement of workers is a fundamental principle of the Treaty.
This means that as a European citizen you are entitled to:
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seek for a job in Greece
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work in Greece without needing a work permit
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reside in Greece for a working purpose
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stay in Greece even after employment has finished
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share the same rights and equal treatment in access to employment, working conditions and all other social and tax advantages
ATTENTION: During a transitional period of up to 7 years after the accession of Croatia on 1 July 2013, certain conditions may be applied that restrict the free movement of workers from and to Croatia. These restrictions only concern the freedom of movement for the purpose of taking up a job and they may differ from one member state to another. (Source: European Commission)
Working in Greece – Non-EU Citizens
Do you want to work in Greece but you are not a European Citizen? Find out if you are eligible to work here!
In case you come from the USA, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, you don’t need to apply for a work visa. However, upon arriving at Greece, you must apply for your residence and work permit.
If you are a citizen of other countries, you must apply and get an employment visa before entering Greece.
Application form: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/download-schengen-visa-application-form/
Where to apply for a European Working Visa
You should submit your visa application at the Greek Embassy in your country of residence.
Useful links
Ministry for Migration Policy: http://www.immigration.gov.gr/en_US/web/guest/katigories-adeion-diamonis-dikaiologitika
Sectors that provide career opportunities in Greece
Shipping and Tourism & Hospitality sectors are the industries that traditionally continue generating growth and creating job opportunities in Greece.
It would be easier for you to find a job in these fields than in others. However, you should bear in mind that job openings in Tourism are for a seasonal period (5-6 months) which means that employees will face some time off-work during winter months.
Moreover, Tech jobs don’t seem to have been affected by the economic crisis. So, lucky you if you are a Developer, an Information Security Analyst or a Computer Research Scientist.
Finally, you might be interested to know that there is an increase in customer care service jobs which require the knowledge of foreign languages. You can use your mother tongue as a ticket to your next professional step in Greece.