Integrating refugees into the labor market - Greek government aims to address labor shortage
Refugees who have been granted asylum in Greece will soon be integrated into the labor market, under a new government plan that aims to alleviate a severe shortage of workers in several key sectors.
The Ministry of Immigration and Asylum recently presented a proposal that will be included in a broader draft law on legal immigration. The measure would channel refugees into employment in agriculture, tourism and construction, sectors currently facing critical worker shortages.
The plan includes the creation of two types of reception centers: one for migrants who are unlikely to be granted asylum, such as those from Egypt and Pakistan, and another for those with a “refugee profile,” mainly from Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea. This category will receive Greek language lessons and basic vocational training.
According to government sources, Greece needs about 200,000 additional workers over the next five years to maintain economic growth of 2%. The new system could provide about 20,000 workers each year, or about 60,000 over five years, including those who may leave. Pilot centers will be set up in regions with high demand for work, including Thessaly, Viotia and Northern Greece. The government aims to decentralize these structures, avoiding a concentration in Athens.
Sudanese refugees, in particular, are expected to engage in agriculture, given their experience with crops such as cotton and wheat. About 15% of refugees who have been officially recognized are women, who can be employed in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
For these categories, training and language learning programs will be offered, but social benefits will be significantly reduced. Officials emphasize that the goal is for asylum status to represent not a financial incentive for emigration, but a real opportunity for integration into the labor market.
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