Author
Article 26 Asylum Code provides for full and automatic access to the labour market for recognised refugees and subsidiary protection beneficiaries under the same conditions as nationals, without any obligation to obtain a work permit.
However, as mentioned in Reception Conditions: Access to the Labour Market, high unemployment rates and further obstacles relating to language or competition with Greek-speaking employees, prevent the integration of beneficiaries into the labour market. According to the Public Employment Service (Δημόσια Υπηρεσία Απασχολήσης), the total number of registered unemployed third country nationals stood at 122,809 in 2025, with 70% being registered for less than 12 months and the rest for more, albeit no breakdown per legal status is provided.[1]
According to an ongoing survey conducted by UNHCR,[2] from 1 January 2025 to 20 November 2025, out of a total of 99 beneficiaries surveyed, 77% reported employment as their top priority need, with 81% expressing their intention to stay in Greece. Of those surveyed, during the same period, 24% were working, with the rest reporting lack of knowledge of the language, documentation and lack of knowledge on how to search for work as the main barriers for finding work in Greece.
As explained above, pending the issuance of a new residence permit, beneficiaries of international protection are granted an attestation of application status (βεβαίωση κατάστασης αιτήματος) which is valid for three or six months depending on the issuing RAO or AAU. In practice, this certificate does not allow beneficiaries to access the labour market and many of them are losing their jobs as soon as their residence permit expires. Furthermore, in GCR’s experience, recently recognised beneficiaries of international protection are considered by the electronic system ERGANI (ΕΡΓΑΝΗ) as asylum applicants pending the issuance of their first residence permit, since they still hold their asylum applicants’ card. This malpractice has prevented beneficiaries of international protection from fully accessing labour market until they are served their residence permit. This is contrary to Article 26 Asylum Code, which stipulates that beneficiaries should be able to access the labour market freely, from the first day of their status recognition.
[1] Public Employment Service (Δ.Υ.Π.Α.), Data on unemployed and subsidised persons: Summary Report Devember 2025, available in Greek at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/en/statistika-stoikhia, p.19.
[2] UNHCR, Greece Inter-Agency Protection Monitoring of refugees in Greece, Key Findings, 01 February 2022 – 20 November 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/k9vtxdwy.