Work Visa
Greece Work Visa: your employer-sponsored route to living and working in the EU.
Cost, processing time and complexity are VisaPath's general guidance, not official figures, and vary by applicant and current rules.
Who it's for
About this route
The Greece Work Visa is the national long-stay (Type D) entry route for non-EU citizens with a confirmed job offer from a Greek employer. After arrival, it is typically converted into a combined work-and-residence permit, which under recent reforms (Law 5275/2026) is generally handled as a single permit that grants labour-market access. It is potentially suitable for skilled professionals, EU Blue Card candidates, and seasonal workers whose employer is willing to sponsor and complete the local steps.
Who it's for
- Skilled professionals with a concrete, signed job offer from a Greek company
- Highly qualified candidates who may fit the EU Blue Card category
- Seasonal workers in agriculture, tourism or related sectors (separate track)
- Specialists hired under strategic-investment or large-project schemes
- Non-EU expats whose employer is prepared to handle the sponsorship and quota steps
Benefits
- Legal right to live and work in Greece, an EU and Schengen member state
- Visa-free short travel across the Schengen Area while your permit is valid
- Combined single permit reforms aim to grant labour-market access without a separate work authorisation
- A path toward renewal and, over time, potentially long-term EU residence subject to current rules
- Equal treatment with local workers on pay, conditions and recognised qualifications under recent reforms
Requirements
- A signed employment contract or formal job offer from a Greek employer, commonly for a minimum duration set by current rules
- Employer-side approval / labour-market step, which may include showing no suitable EU/EEA candidate was available
- A position that typically falls within the relevant annual quota for the region and sector
- A passport valid well beyond the intended stay, plus passport photos
- Clean criminal record certificate and a medical fitness certificate, as commonly requested
- Valid travel/health insurance covering the initial period; EU Blue Card applicants are usually subject to a higher salary threshold
Documents commonly requested
- Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity and blank pages, plus recent photos
- Completed national (Type D) visa application form
- Signed employment contract / job offer and the employer's approval documentation
- Criminal record certificate and medical fitness certificate
- Proof of health/travel insurance and, where requested, proof of accommodation
- Evidence of qualifications and, for EU Blue Card, proof of the required salary level
- Official translations and apostille/legalisation of foreign documents, as commonly required
How to apply
- 1
Secure a genuine job offer and signed contract with a Greek employer willing to sponsor you
- 2
Employer completes the local approval / invitation and confirms the position fits within available quota
- 3
Apply for the national long-stay (Type D) visa at the Greek consulate in your country of residence
- 4
Enter Greece on the Type D visa and, within the window set by current rules, file for the residence/single permit locally
- 5
Submit biometrics and supporting documents to the competent immigration authority
- 6
Receive a decision, which authorities now generally aim to issue within roughly 90 days
- 7
Renew before expiry as long as you continue to meet the qualifying conditions
Good to know
- Greece overhauled its immigration framework via Law 5275/2026 — exact quotas, fees and timelines change, so treat any figure as indicative and confirm against current rules.
- This is an employer-driven route: without a sponsoring Greek employer and an available quota slot, the standard work permit generally cannot proceed.
- Seasonal work is handled on a separate track outside the single-permit framework, with its own limits and conditions.
- Annual quotas by region and sector can fill up, so timing relative to the quota cycle matters.
- Foreign documents usually need certified translation and apostille; missing legalisation is a common cause of delay. Professional review recommended.
Common questions
Start your application
Tell us your situation and our team will confirm the route and handle the paperwork.
توفّر هذه الأداة تقديرًا عامًا لمطابقة المسارات بناءً على المعلومات التي أدخلتها. وهي ليست استشارة قانونية أو ضريبية أو مالية أو متعلّقة بالهجرة. ولا تضمن الأهلية أو الموافقة أو إصدار التأشيرة أو الموافقة على الإقامة أو الجنسية أو الموافقة على فتح حساب مصرفي أو أي نتيجة حكومية. ويُنصح بإجراء تقييم مهني.