Residence for highly qualified employment under the EU Blue Card framework
Greece
Greece sits in Southern Europe. Its immigration system runs 167 distinct routes — led by work, humanitarian protection and study, each set out in official law. All 167 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 167across 19 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 167 of 167cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Work25 of the 167 routes — see them under Work below
- Region
- Southern Europe
- Capital
- Athens
- Population
- 10,413,962
- Official language
- Greek
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- UTC+02:00
Immigration routes
All 167 routes, grouped by purpose — 167 of 167 cite an official government source directly.
Work
25 routes
EU Blue Card residence following qualifying long-term mobility from another participating EU state
Long-term ICT mobility in Greece based on an ICT permit from another EU state
Intra-corporate transfer to Greece as a manager
Intra-corporate transfer to Greece as a specialist
Short-term ICT mobility in Greece based on an ICT permit from another EU state
Intra-corporate transfer to Greece as a trainee employee
Special-purpose employment under a qualifying interstate agreement or authority recommendation
Special-purpose employment for qualifying foreign-company, shipping or capital-entity staff or representatives
Special-purpose employment for qualifying hydrocarbon offshore management or technical staff
Special-purpose employment for qualifying mine or industrial technical staff
Special-purpose employment for an executive linked to an approved strategic investment
Special-purpose employment for a teacher at a qualifying foreign school
Residence for salaried employment following the statutory employer-invitation procedure
National visa granting residence and work rights for seasonal agricultural work
National visa for seasonal work within the Greece-Egypt bilateral framework
National visa granting residence and work rights for seasonal fishing work
National visa granting residence and work rights for seasonal tourism or hospitality work
Residence permit for a qualifying seasonal worker where the Code authorises permit issuance
National visa for flight, technical or administrative staff meeting wildfire-season needs
National visa for specialist staff posted under a qualifying major infrastructure contract
National visa for qualifying employment with an active Elevate Greece startup
National visa for a third-country national posted by an EU/EEA company to provide services in Greece
National visa for a third-country national posted by a third-country company to provide services in Greece
National visa for a leader of an organised tourism group
Investment
18 routes
Residence linked to an approved strategic investment
Residence for a qualifying director, manager or legal representative of a Greek company
Residence for a qualifying shareholder or partner of a Greek commercial company
Residence for the qualifying capital contribution to a Greek company
Residence for the qualifying investment in a Greek real-estate investment company
Residence for the qualifying investment in an eligible venture-capital vehicle
Residence for the qualifying investment in Greek government bonds
Residence for the qualifying term deposit with a Greek credit institution
Residence for the qualifying investment in eligible listed securities or bonds
Residence for the qualifying investment in a Greek-focused mutual fund
Residence for the qualifying investment in an eligible Greece-focused alternative investment fund
Permanent investor residence through a qualifying commercial-to-residential conversion
Permanent investor residence through a qualifying listed-building acquisition and restoration
Permanent investor residence through qualifying real-estate acquisition in other locations
Permanent investor residence through qualifying real-estate acquisition in the higher-threshold locations
Permanent investor residence where qualifying property is acquired by inheritance or gift under the Code
Permanent investor residence through a qualifying long-term tourist lease or timeshare
Residence for a qualifying investment in a registered startup
Business & self-employment
2 routes
Residence linked to establishing and operating an investment enterprise in Greece
For a third-country national who already holds a Greek residence permit granting access to independent economic activity, continues to operate it and is compliant with tax and social insurance obligations.
Talent & merit
6 routes
Residence to conduct research under Directive 2016/801
Long-term mobility in Greece for a researcher authorised in another EU state
Short-term mobility in Greece for a researcher authorised in another EU state
Residence for a qualifying accredited foreign press correspondent
National visa for a person accepted as a visiting professor by an eligible Greek institution
One-year national visa for a highly educated third-country national to seek work or professional activity
Study
19 routes
Residence for a third-country national admitted to qualifying higher-education studies
Mobility to Greece for a qualifying student already authorised in another EU state
Residence to undertake a qualifying medical specialty
National visa for a qualifying temporary traineeship
Residence for qualifying vocational training in an eligible institution
Residence for studies at a qualifying college in Greece
National visa for an employee participating in a qualifying college study programme
Residence for a participant in a qualifying special programme such as Erasmus
Residence for a qualifying scholarship holder
National visa for a foreign-university student in a qualifying summer programme
Residence for training at a qualifying aviation school
Residence for study at the Athonias Ecclesiastical Academy
Residence for Greek-language study at a qualifying higher-education teaching centre
Residence for study at a qualifying military or security school
Residence for study at a qualifying music educational institution
Residence for study at a qualifying merchant-navy academy or school
National visa for a scholar of the American Educational Foundation in Greece
National visa for a foreign-university student following courses and an internship through a Greek college agreement
National visa for a higher-education student in a paid internship programme
Family
16 routes
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of an investment-permit holder
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of an EU Blue Card holder
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of an intra-corporate transferee
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of a researcher
Derived residence for a qualifying family member of an accredited foreign correspondent
Family reunification for a qualifying dependent adult child unable to support themself
Family reunification for a qualifying minor child of a legally resident third-country sponsor
Family reunification with a legally resident third-country sponsor for a spouse or qualifying partner
Autonomous residence for a qualifying family member after the statutory conditions are met
Residence card for a qualifying child of a Greek citizen
Residence card for the parent of a minor Greek citizen
Residence card for a qualifying sibling of a minor Greek citizen
Residence card for a qualifying parent of a Greek citizen
Residence card for a spouse or qualifying partner of a Greek citizen
Derived national visa or residence for the family of a qualifying digital nomad
National visa for a qualifying family member of a Tech Visa worker
Independent means
1 route
Residence for a third-country national with sufficient independent resources
Digital nomad
1 route
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Residence-based status
11 routes
One-year residence after completing studies or research to seek work or start a business
One-time residence route for a qualifying former long-term permit holder under the 2026 transitional rules
Long-term resident status after qualifying lawful continuous residence in Greece
Residence for a qualifying family member accompanying an EU long-term resident to Greece
Residence in Greece for another permitted purpose as a long-term resident of another participating EU state
Residence in Greece for self-employment as a long-term resident of another participating EU state
Residence in Greece for study or training as a long-term resident of another participating EU state
Residence in Greece for employment as a long-term resident of another participating EU state
Ten-year national residence permit after the qualifying lawful-residence route
Ten-year national residence permit through the qualifying Greece birth or schooling route
Permanent residence card for a qualifying third-country family member of a Greek citizen
Free movement
12 routes
Residence for a UK national within the personal scope of the Withdrawal Agreement
Residence for a qualifying family member within the personal scope of the Withdrawal Agreement
Residence card for a qualifying dependent non-EU ascendant or other family member
Residence card for a qualifying non-EU descendant of a mobile EU citizen
Residence card for a qualifying non-EU spouse or partner of a mobile EU citizen
Residence in Greece under free-movement rights while genuinely seeking work
Residence in Greece under free-movement rights with sufficient resources and health cover
Permanent residence after continuous lawful residence under EU free-movement rules
Permanent residence for a qualifying non-EU family member after continuous lawful residence
Residence in Greece under free-movement rights as a self-employed EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Residence in Greece under free-movement rights as a student
Residence in Greece under free-movement rights as an employed EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
Youth mobility
4 routes
Youth-mobility residence for an eligible Canadian student undertaking a qualifying internship
Youth-mobility residence for an eligible Canadian citizen under the working-holiday stream
Youth-mobility residence for an eligible Canadian young professional with qualifying employment
Youth-mobility national visa for an eligible Australian citizen
Cultural, religious & volunteer
7 routes
Special-purpose employment residence for a member of a foreign archaeological school
Special-purpose employment residence for a minister of a recognised religion
Residence for volunteer service under Directive 2016/801
National visa for familiarisation with monastic life or monasticism
National visa for study or familiarisation with Athonite monastic life
National long-stay visa for a member of an artistic group
National long-stay visa for an intellectual creator
Short stay & visit
4 routes
Short stay for a documented business visit under the Schengen framework
Short stay for a documented cultural, conference or event purpose under the Schengen framework
Short stay for tourism or a private visit under the Schengen framework
Visa-exempt short stay in Greece within the Schengen 90-in-180 framework
Humanitarian protection
22 routes
Ad hoc humanitarian residence for a victim or essential witness of criminal acts
Ad hoc humanitarian residence for a victim of domestic violence
Ad hoc humanitarian residence for a person whose life-risking act advanced humanitarian values
Ad hoc humanitarian residence for a victim of a crime with racist characteristics
Ad hoc humanitarian residence while lawfully following an approved dependency-treatment programme
Ad hoc humanitarian residence for a victim of a workplace accident
Humanitarian residence for a trafficking victim covered by the Palermo Protocol outside A.7
Humanitarian residence for a third-country national employed under particularly exploitative conditions
Humanitarian residence for a third-country national employed as a minor
Humanitarian residence for a qualifying resident aged over 65 whose permit cannot be renewed
Humanitarian residence for a minor under qualifying custody or pending adoption
Humanitarian residence for a minor placed with a qualifying foster family
Humanitarian residence for a qualifying person with serious health problems
Humanitarian residence where statutory health/protection and safe-return conditions apply
Humanitarian residence for a minor hosted in a qualifying boarding facility or ecclesiastical-school residence
Exceptional-reasons residence based on the statutory continuous-presence route
Exceptional-reasons residence for a qualifying parent of a minor Greek citizen
Residence for a trafficking or migrant-smuggling victim cooperating with competent authorities
Application in Greece for refugee or subsidiary-protection assessment
Residence following recognition as a refugee
Residence following recognition as a beneficiary of subsidiary protection
Temporary protection for a person covered by the current EU/Greece scheme
Ancestry & return
5 routes
For a person of Greek descent (omogenis) who is not covered by the separate frameworks for Albania, Turkey or the former USSR.
For a person of Greek descent (omogenis) originating from Albania.
For a person of Greek descent (omogenis) originating from a country of the former USSR.
For a person of Greek descent (omogenis) originating from Turkey.
For a qualifying family member of a person of Greek descent who originates from a country of the former USSR.
Medical treatment
3 routes
Short stay for documented medical treatment under the Schengen visa framework
Residence for a necessary accompanying person linked to qualifying care
Residence to receive qualifying medical, nursing or palliative care
Sports
3 routes
Special-purpose employment residence for a professional athlete
Special-purpose employment residence for a professional coach
National visa for admission to Greece for athletic preparation
Transit
2 routes
Airport-transit permission where the traveller's nationality or case requires it
Short-stay transit under the Schengen framework for a qualifying seafarer
Other & special
6 routes
Residence for covered official staff under the applicable international framework
Residence for a qualifying family member of covered official staff
Residence granted to serve the public interest
Residence for a qualifying cohabiting unmarried child aged over 23
Residence for a qualifying first-degree ascendant of covered staff
Residence for a private servant called to Greece by a diplomatic-mission member
Official sources
- Greece Ministry of Migration and AsylumGovernment
- ΜΕΤΑΝΑΣΤΕΥΣΗGovernment
- Home - Canada.caGovernment
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