The Dismantling of Greece’s Latest Legal Pathway for Migrants
Last year, the Greek government introduced what seemed like a promising, if temporary, lifeline for thousands of people living in Greece without legal status: a three-year residence permit for those who had lived in the country for at least three years and received an offer of employment. Framed as a pragmatic response to labour shortages and workforce “needs”, the permit allowed people to apply for legal status and access formal employment, housing, and protection from detention. For many, it was a promising possibility of stability after years of legal limbo.
But in April 2025, the process was abruptly suspended, with no explanation and no plan for the people already in the process.
The 3 year permit
Initially, the application process for the 3 year residence permit was relatively straightforward. Applicants had to provide proof of long-term residence in Greece and a declaration from an employer willing to hire them. They paid the €300 application fee, plus additional expenses for legal documents, translations, and often the return of passports from embassies.
Though the process was slow, many applications moved forward. Applicants received a temporary certificate protecting them from arrest and allowing them to work legally while they awaited their residence cards. Even those already in other bureaucratic processes, such as the asylum process, could transfer to this permit route. The state was encouraging this form of legalisation, linked to the needs of the Greek labour market rather than to international protection.
An Unanticipated Freeze
Last month, Makis Voridis, the new Minister of Migration, announced that the process would be "frozen". He justified this unforeseen decision saying that he “needs to assess” whether there’s a real need for migrant labour. For the time being, therefore, cases submitted after December 31, 2024 are not moving forward. Applicants are in limbo, and there is no official information about whether the programme will resume.
This decision has serious consequences. Some applicants left the asylum process to apply for this permit, believing its simpler application process offered greater security. Now, with applications frozen, they are undocumented again. They have no right to work, no access to services, and no clarity on whether they can return to their previous status. Now, with the process halted, they’re out of pocket and vulnerable to exploitation, detention, and homelessness.
There has been no official communication from the Ministry about if and when this programme will resume. The lack of clarity leaves space for rumours and fear to grow, among applicants and those who support them. Some believe the programme still exists, others are unaware that their applications are effectively abandoned.
Migration as an economic tool
This isn’t the first time the Greek government has quietly dismantled a pathway to legal status. The three-year permit replaced another scheme that had provided temporary legalisation for dependent employment, which was silently discontinued. The broader pattern is clear: public rhetoric about “legal pathways” is not matched by any real intention to provide stability or inclusion. Instead, it serves as a political performance, offering short-term permits that fulfill labor market needs.
The freeze comes in the context of a broader hardening of migration policy under the leadership of far-right figures like Makis Voridis. As we wrote in our previous blog, Voridis’ appointment as Minister of Migration signals a calculated ideological shift - one that uses migration as a political tool to appeal to nationalist sentiment while continuing to rely on migrant labour behind the scenes.
By halting the three-year permit, the Ministry is sending a clear message: migrants may be useful, but they are not welcome. Their rights, lives, and futures are secondary to the government’s political calculus.
What Needs to Happen
This crisis demands urgent attention and collective action. We call for:
Immediate transparency from the Ministry: Clear communication about the status of applications and whether the programme will be resumed.
A legal framework for those left in limbo: People who transferred from asylum or other routes must be allowed to re-enter those systems or receive compensation.
A permanent, rights-based approach to regularisation: Legal status should not be conditional, temporary, or designed to fail. Migration policy must be grounded in dignity and stability, not political convenience.
Community solidarity: Local organisations, legal support teams, and advocacy groups must continue to stand with those affected, share information, and push for accountability.
Written by Lara Stauss and Orsalia Papadimitriou
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