Athens, Greece – Greece’s Minister for Migration, Dimitris Kairidis, announced on Tuesday a significant regularization program for migrants aimed at addressing labor shortages in key sectors of the economy. The plan is designed to target an estimated 300,000 migrants who are either undocumented or have expired residence permits. The move comes in response to pressing demands in agriculture, construction, and tourism, where acute labor shortages have been identified.
Kairidis explained that the program, similar to a 2020 reform in Italy, would be discussed during a national security meeting led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The meeting, attended by cabinet members and military leaders, also covered other important topics, including military procurements.
“We do not want to create new incentives for further illegal (migrant) flows because that is the danger,” Kairidis stated. “On the other hand, we want to go from black to white … from undeclared to declared labor to boost public revenue with employment taxes and contributions and help address dramatic (labor) shortages in certain sectors.”
Labor shortages in critical sectors have been affecting major public works projects, including the construction of a subway system in Thessaloniki and a new airport on the island of Crete.
This initiative comes at a time when Greece is grappling with a recent surge in migrant arrivals, primarily from Turkey. On Tuesday, at least 100 individuals were rescued off Greece’s eastern islands. Greek authorities have also requested emergency financial assistance from the European Union to manage the recent influx of migrants.
