New visas offer a gateway for skilled workers. Tech-inclined individuals who are non-EU citizens can now have visas on almost a platter of gold. To address the severe shortage of skilled labour in the high-tech industries, Greece is preparing to implement more official incentives for bringing in non-EU residents, this time based on their skills and experience. On March 29, Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis gave the cabinet a presentation outlining his proposal to introduce a “Talent Visa” and a “Tech Visa.” intended to entice graduates from third countries to reside and work in Greece for a set amount of time that may be extended.

Athens aims to meet the needs of the labour market for qualified human resources by adopting the best practices of other European nations and drawing in young people who want to test their skills in a nation that is a member of the European Union.

In addition to toughening up penalties for traffickers, the ministry’s bill—which is expected to make its way into Parliament—will also create a number of new permits aimed at luring highly skilled graduates. The most emblematic of which, attracting publicity, are the Talent and Tech Visas,” Kairidis stated on state radio ERA.

The government is currently pursuing bilateral agreements with foreign nations to supply low-skilled labour to meet the demands of the domestic labour market, mostly for manual labour, but, as he clarified, “we want our country to attract talent, and that is where the challenge of the 21st century lies.”

For the duration of the one-year, the bearer of this tech permit is free to work, change jobs, or work for themselves without obtaining additional authorization. Greek language proficiency is not a prerequisite for third-country university graduates to be eligible for the Talent Visa; instead, they must speak fluent English.

It is quite another thing to advocate for legal status in favour of Greek society than to oppose illegal migration, especially with regard to highly skilled and specialist individuals.” So, there is the Science Visitor’s visa for those who come to work at startups, or companies that are listed in the country’s startup registration, and the Talent Visa for graduates of the best universities.