Bill clears migrant bottleneck

The authorities unveiled sweeping migration reforms Tuesday, aiming to chopped reddish tape, speed up residence permits, and gully arsenic galore arsenic 200,000 overseas workers to its labour market.

The draught bill, presented by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris to the cabinet, includes longer and automatically renewable residence permits for unafraid categories such arsenic employment, household reunification, and autarkic permits, with safeguards for nationalist bid and security. Currently, Greece has 510,000 progressive residence permits and 290,000 pending applications, astir fractional of them renewals.

“Strengthening ineligible migration routes ensures that we, and not trafficking networks, determine who comes, for however long, and under what terms,” Plevris said.

The authorities introduces caller visa categories for highly skilled workers, researchers, visiting professors, and students, while extending the validity of bluish cards for specialized professionals. Fast-track procedures will prioritize workers supporting large investments, and companies leasing staff whitethorn service arsenic authoritative employers under aboriginal regulations.

Students will person residence permits aligned with their programs, the close to work part-time, and a one-year post-study play to question employment. Bilateral agreements with different countries will facilitate labour mobility while targeting amerciable entries.

Asylum beneficiaries, estimated astatine 20,000 annually, will beryllium integrated into the workforce, with benefits reduced and programs successful Greek connection and occupation training introduced. Long-term residents will spot expanded eligibility for imperishable permits, and household members of Greek citizens will regain residence cards.

The measure besides allows for broader processing of residence applications beyond the applicant’s section bureau to easiness backlogs, streamlining a system where delays often unit applications to restart.

The draught instrumentality is successful its last stage astatine the ministry and is expected to participate nationalist consultation immediately, with a parliamentary vote planned for October.