To work legally in Greece as a non-EU citizen, you need a national long-stay visa, known as a Type D visa, issued by a Greek consulate in your country of residence before you travel. You cannot arrive on a tourist visa and switch. The Greece work visa is the first step in a two-stage process: the consulate issues the visa abroad, and once you land, you convert it into a residence permit through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. The legal framework was overhauled by Law 5038/2023, which reorganized categories, employer obligations, and the path from visa to permit.
Which Category Fits Your Situation
Greece runs several work visa tracks, and the one you need depends on who employs you and what you earn. Picking the wrong category wastes weeks.
Dependent Labor (Standard Employed Worker)
This is the default route if a Greek employer hires you. The contract must run at least one year with a monthly salary no lower than the unskilled worker rate, which is €920 per month as of April 2026. The role also has to fit within the quotas set by a biennial Joint Ministerial Decision, which caps how many non-EU workers each sector and specialty can bring in.1Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Work for Third Country Nationals in Greece That quota system functions as Greece’s labor market test.
EU Blue Card
The Blue Card is for higher-skilled hires: you need a higher education qualification or at least five years of equivalent professional experience, a contract of at least one year, and a salary of at least 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual wage. For 2024, that minimum was €31,918.83, and it typically adjusts each year.2European Commission. EU Blue Card in Greece The main benefit over the standard work visa is streamlined mobility to other EU member states after a qualifying period in Greece.
Seasonal Work
For temporary roles in agriculture, livestock, tourism, or fishing, seasonal work permits are capped at nine months within any twelve-month period.3National Registry of Administrative Public Services. Residence Permit for Seasonal Work in the Tourism Sector Seasonal work does not build toward long-term residency.
Digital Nomad Visa
If you work remotely for clients or an employer outside Greece, the digital nomad visa lets you live in the country without taking a Greek job. Minimum income is €3,500 per month after taxes, rising by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child. The initial visa runs up to 12 months, after which you can apply in Greece for a two-year renewable residence permit. You cannot work for Greek companies or Greek-based clients on this visa.
Intra-Corporate Transfer
Multinationals can move managers, specialists, or trainees from a non-EU office to a Greek entity in the same group. You must already be employed by the company before the transfer, and Greek working conditions and collective agreements apply during your stay, though pay terms follow the original contract.4Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Short-Term Mobility for the Purpose of Intra-Corporate Transfer
What Your Employer Has To Do First
Nothing moves until your Greek employer gets approval from the Decentralized Administration in their region to hire a foreign national for the specific position. The employer submits your signed contract (minimum one year, full-time, with the required salary) and a tax certificate showing they can pay the wages promised.5European Commission. Employed Worker in Greece The Decentralized Administration checks the role against the current quota, and if it clears, notifies the consulate where you will apply. Only then can you book your appointment.
Documents You Need To Gather
On your side, assemble the following:
- A passport valid at least three months beyond your planned departure from Greece, with blank pages for the visa sticker.
- A criminal record certificate from your home country’s authorities, typically requiring an Apostille stamp.
- A medical certificate from a recognized health authority confirming you are free of communicable diseases as classified by the World Health Organization.
- Private health insurance with at least €30,000 of coverage for medical expenses and repatriation during your initial stay.
- The completed visa application form, including your employer’s Greek tax registration number and your planned Greek address.
Names, dates, and employer details need to match exactly across every document. Small discrepancies between the form and the supporting paperwork are one of the most common reasons applications get delayed or denied.
Applying at the Consulate
Book an in-person appointment at the Greek consulate or embassy in your country of residence. There is no mail-in option because the consulate has to take your fingerprints and photograph and verify your documents on site.6Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic. Visas Expect an interview covering your background and the job offer.
You will also pay the e-Paravolo, the electronic administrative fee.7Gov.gr. Issue an Electronic Fee (e-Paravolo) The amount varies by visa category and nationality, with employment visa fees generally falling between €75 and €180. Payment can be made at Greek banks, at Hellenic Post, or online by card.8General Secretariat for Information Systems. e-Administrative Fee
Processing time sits with the consulate. There is no statutory deadline, though many applicants get a decision within a few weeks. If approved, the visa sticker goes into your passport and authorizes your entry to Greece.
After You Arrive in Greece
The Type D visa gets you in the door. The residence permit is what keeps you legal beyond the visa’s short validity, and several registrations run in parallel.
File for the Residence Permit Within 60 Days
You have 60 days from arrival to submit a residence permit application through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s electronic portal. You will attend a biometric appointment, and once your file is accepted, you receive a temporary certificate called a bebaiosi (the “blue paper”) that proves your legal residence while the biometric card is produced. The bebaiosi lets you work, live in Greece, and generally travel within the Schengen area. For standard employed workers, the permit’s length tracks your contract. Missing the 60-day window can invalidate your visa, so treat the deadline as hard.
Get Your AFM (Tax Number)
The AFM is Greece’s tax identification number, and you will need it to sign your employment contract, open a bank account, and do essentially anything financial. Apply electronically and verify your identity either by video through the myAADElive service or in person at a tax office. Your AFM certificate and Taxisnet login credentials arrive by email.9Gov.gr. Attribution of Tax Identification Number (AFM)
Get Your AMKA (Social Security Number)
The AMKA has been mandatory since 2009 for anyone working or intending to work in Greece. Register at any Citizens’ Service Centre (KEP) or e-EFKA branch with your identification.10Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Social Security Registration Number (AMKA) Without it, your employer cannot enroll you in social insurance and you won’t have access to Greek public healthcare.
Open a Bank Account
Most Greek employers pay by bank transfer. Banks generally ask for your passport, AFM, proof of a Greek address, and proof of employment, and want you there in person. Do your AFM first; most banks will not open the account without one.
Renewing Your Permit
Every residence permit has an expiration date, and the smart move is to file for renewal about two months before it lapses. Greek law technically lets you apply up to the last day of validity, but cutting it that close invites problems. Filing within one month after expiration is still possible with a €50 late fee. Past that one-month grace period, the permit is generally treated as lapsed, and your legal status is at risk.
For renewal you’ll need proof of continued employment, or a new contract meeting the same salary and duration standards if you changed jobs. If you have been unemployed, you’ll need to show sufficient accumulated social security contributions during the previous permit period. Filing gets you a fresh bebaiosi until the new card is issued.
From Permit To Permanent Status
Time under a valid residence permit counts toward long-term settlement; time on the visa alone, or periods with gaps in your permit, may not. For non-EU citizens, naturalization requires seven years of permanent and legal residence in Greece. Shorter paths exist: three years if you’re married to a Greek citizen and have a child together, three years if you have a minor child holding Greek citizenship, and three years if Greek authorities have recognized you as a refugee or stateless person.11Ministry of Interior. How Can I Become a Greek Citizen
Continuity is the trap most applicants underestimate. Long or frequent trips abroad can jeopardize your qualifying period, and lapses in your permit, social security contributions, or tax filings can reset the clock or disqualify an application entirely. Keep everything current from day one.