Greece: Election Delays; Change in Long-term Residence Permit Delays Right to Work

Late September 2023 changes to the processing of long-term residence permits means that foreign nationals now have to wait longer before being able to commence work. As of September 21, 2023, Greek authorities no longer immediately issue a formal certificate of receipt for long-term residence permit applications. Rather, this receipt is now issued at some point within 40 days of the application’s filing (though an informal confirmation of receipt will still be emailed immediately). This delays a foreign national’s right to commence work, as the receipt is necessary for arranging social security which must be in place before an employer can hire the foreign national. Employers are advised to account for this longer timeframe as part of assessing their human resources strategies.

Further on the issue of recent delays, due to local elections being held across Greece from October 2-16, 2023, Greek immigration offices are either closed or not working at full capacity. This will delay all immigration visa and permit applications during and following the closure. Affected individuals and organizations should account for these delays in their forward planning.