How can I apply for a work permit if I already hold permanent residency through the Golden Visa program in Greece?

Answers

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  Mary Tsiganou

  Synergia Technical and Consulting SA

  September 02, 2018

  As a holder of the resident permit title, the property investor does not have access to any type of employment. However, according to the law, employment does not include the exercise of economic activity in the capacity of a shareholder, a chief executive officer or a board member in an existing company. Furthermore, if you apply for a work permit under the provisions of immigrant law, you will lose your existing resident permit, since everyone has to keep one kind of resident permit. Perhaps you could explore the above option for exercise of economic activity.

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  Alexandros Karakitis

  KARAKITIS TAX & LAW

  September 04, 2018

  The employment in Greece of third-country citizens is subject to restrictions and the receipt of a prior approval from the relevant agency in Greece. If the pre-approval procedure is not followed, the third-country citizen would risk losing the property-related resident permit and the employer would be burdened with fines. The process can be easier if you are appointed as the director of the Greek subsidiary or branch of a foreign company. Otherwise, you may need to demonstrate the high skills required for the specific job and the potential employer's lack of local resources in the particular field. There are also special rules for those assigned by foreign companies to work in Greece for a specific period of time on a project and for employees of certain industry sectors or companies which enjoy special operation regimes.