Foreign workers in Greece: pay, insurance and residence-related rights

First establish which status permits employment

Foreign workers do not all fall under one regime. An EU national generally does not need a work permit in another member state. For a third-country national, the residence document or relevant visa and the work access it permits must be examined. Special categories, including international protection, require separate assessment.

Bring the complete residence document, its expiry date and any renewal application or certificate. A Greek tax number or AMKA social security number does not by itself establish a right to work. Before changing employer, occupation or status, check the conditions applying to your own category.

Pay, working time and insurance rights

Law 5275/2026 added Article 82A to the Migration Code on equal treatment for workers holding a single permit. Core areas include pay, dismissal conditions, working time, leave and workplace health and safety. Insurance benefits and other individual areas also require consideration of their specific statutory conditions.

In practice, compare agreed earnings with payments, actual shifts with declarations and employment with the insurance record. Calling someone a seasonal or foreign worker does not complete that assessment. The terms of the particular employment relationship and its supporting documents must be reviewed.

Unpaid earnings where immigration documents are problematic

The Ministry of Labour’s official guidance recognises routes for unlawfully employed third-country nationals to pursue unpaid earnings and lawful employment rights. Missing documents should therefore not be treated as an automatic answer that the employer owes nothing.

Protecting an employment claim is different from regularising residence. A complaint does not itself provide a permit, and no general conclusion about immigration consequences should be assumed. If a document has expired or does not provide work access, both the employment and administrative position need assessment before the appropriate action is chosen.

Preparing the file and the first enquiry

Separate residence documents, employment evidence, payments and insurance history. Prepare a timeline identifying when work started, where it took place, the employer and later changes. If you need language support, arrange it early so you understand applications, declarations and anything you are asked to sign.

Employment-law breaches may be raised with the Labour Inspectorate, while individual wage and insurance requests need the appropriate procedures. A first enquiry can give a brief outline and urgent dates. For a case in Heraklion or Crete, do not send passwords or complete sensitive files before agreeing a secure way for them to be received.

• Passport, residence document and renewal information
• Employer details, workplace and contract
• Payslips, payments, shifts and available declarations
• Insurance history and departure or dismissal documents