The Greek government is on the cusp of formalizing an agreement with India, signaling a major shift in its approach to migrating labour into the country. The primary concern for Greece is ensuring the integrity and quality of the labour force which will be migrated.
The initiative is shadowed by the lessons from other nations like Canada, where inadequate due diligence has led to the influx of individuals with criminal backgrounds, subsequently spiking the crime rate.
Hence, the Greek government is faced with the imperative to establish rigorous background checks and due diligence processes to filter the incoming workforce effectively.
This agreement marks a strategic move by Greece to address its labour market shortages and diversify its economic contributors. By tapping into the labour markets of countries like India and others, Greece aims to bolster its workforce with skilled and semi-skilled workers.
Yet, the success of this endeavor hinges on the government’s ability to refine and implement stringent selection criteria, ensuring that only qualified and law-abiding individuals can enter the country on work permits.
The challenge lies in setting up a comprehensive vetting framework that can prevent the entry of undesirables, thereby protecting the country’s social and economic interests.
This pact, which is in the final stages of processing and set to be operational post the first quarter of 2024, is part of a broader initiative to invite labour from various countries, including Moldova, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Armenia, and Vietnam.
Continuing the developments in Greece’s labour migration strategy, Dimitris Kairides, the Greek Minister of Immigration and Asylum, announced on a radio broadcast that the online platform designed to facilitate this migration was launched on February 9.
“Since its inception, the platform has already seen an influx of over 2,000 applications”, a number that is anticipated to surge in the coming days.
Minister Kairides projected that the total count of applications could reach as high as 200,000, reflecting the high level of interest and the potential scale of this labour migration initiative.
To streamline the integration of foreign labour into the Greek economy, Minister Kairides also highlighted that the government is planning to undertake a series of legislative reforms. These initiatives aim to simplify the migration procedures, making it easier for qualified labour to enter Greece.
The legislative changes are expected to expedite the processing of work permits, ensuring a smoother transition for both the incoming workforce and the Greek labour market.
Importance of Due Diligence
As Greece prepares to welcome an estimated 200,000 foreign workers, the importance of due diligence in this expansive labour migration effort has come to the forefront.
The Greek government acknowledges that the success of integrating such a substantial number of international workers hinges on the meticulous screening of each applicant to ensure they meet the required legal and ethical standards.
To manage this critical task, Greece has two possible approaches for processing work permit applications from India and other countries. This approach allows applicants to either directly pay the due diligence fees to the government and undergo screening by Greek government’s authorised international agencies or opt to have their credentials verified by internationally recognized organizations authorized by the Greek government.
Option 1: Under this system, applicants who choose the first option must complete their due diligence directly with the government, ensuring a direct line of accountability and verification.
Option 2: Alternatively, those opting for the second route are required to pay the due diligence fees to approved international agencies, which then conduct the comprehensive background checks. Upon completion, the results must be submitted to the Greek authorities by both the applicant and the due diligence agency. This double-layered submission process is designed to ensure accuracy and integrity, allowing for cross-referencing of the data provided by the applicant with the findings of the due diligence agency.
This meticulous approach underscores the Greek government’s commitment to maintaining a high standard of workforce quality and integrity as it opens its doors to a significant influx of foreign labour.
Concerns of The EU
In a recent development, the European Union has intensively urged member states to revise their migration programs to fortify the security of the Schengen area. This directive comes in response to growing concerns over the potential risks associated with insufficiently regulated migration and the issuance of golden visas, which grant residency or citizenship in exchange for investment.
The EU’s call to action specifically targets countries that currently have visa-free waivers with the EU and are active participants in the golden visa scheme, emphasizing the need to escalate their due diligence processes to bolster overall security and address safety concerns.
This move by the European Union underscores a broader initiative to tighten border controls and ensure a higher standard of scrutiny in the wake of increasing global mobility and the associated security challenges.
Countries offering golden visa programs are now under pressure to enhance their vetting procedures, ensuring that their migration policies do not compromise the safety and integrity of the Schengen zone.
The EU’s stance reflects a concerted effort to mitigate the risks of illicit activities, including money laundering and terrorism, by enforcing stricter regulations on the movement of individuals across its member states’ borders.
