According to a press release from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum of Greece, the government has already approved funding of €9 million, which will fund the hiring of an additional 600 employees that will be sent to various consulates throughout the world.
The announcement didn’t say specifically which consular offices would be included in the new plan.
“With this action, the speeding up of entry visa procedures (Schengen Visa) is expected in order to facilitate the procedures for legal immigrants who wish to enter the country either to work (as seasonal workers, in the context of bilateral agreements, etc.) or for other purposes,” the statement of the Ministry reads.
By speeding up and facilitating the visa procedures, Greece hopes to attract more workers into the country, especially highly skilled. This news coincides with reports that a new Greek Tech Visa will be announced soon, seeking to attract high level investors, innovators and other top talent in technology and innovation.
According to Endeavor Greece, an organization that supports the innovation and start-up ecosystem in Greece “Greece is one step away from the launch of the long-awaited Greek Tech Visa which will open the country’s door to the world’s top founders, talent, and investors in technology and innovation. We are incredibly excited about this initiative as it will fuel the momentum the Greek Tech Ecosystem has gained over the last few years and be a major asset towards a bigger more extroverted & diverse innovation ecosystem in Greece and a quicker transformation of our economy, our sustainability, and our lives.”
The news of the Greek Tech Visa was in Endeavor’s email newsletter and was sourced from Greek news reports.
Currently, all nationals of third countries need to apply for a visa in order to be able to enter Greece for work purposes, often waiting months for the processing of the paperwork.
Source: Pappas Post