Metaklisi, the invitation route, without the guesswork
Metaklisi is the procedure through which a Greek employer invites a third-country national to come and work in Greece.
- Quota-driven: positions are opened by ministerial decision per region and sector
- Paperwork-heavy and unforgiving of sequencing mistakes
- Handled by licensed Greek immigration counsel experienced in employer-sponsored procedures
When metaklisi is the right route
Roles below the highly qualified thresholds
Where the EU Blue Card doesn't apply, metaklisi is the standard employment route for bringing a third-country national into a Greek payroll.
Seasonal and sector hiring
Tourism, agriculture, food and construction employers use the invitation procedure to staff roles the local labour market has not filled.
Volume hiring against a quota
Positions are allocated per region and occupation in a periodic joint ministerial decision. Filing inside the right window matters more than filing fast.
The candidate is abroad
Metaklisi assumes the worker is outside Greece and enters on a national visa issued after the invitation is approved.
Not for people already in Greece
Someone already legally residing in Greece usually needs a status change, not an invitation. We check this first, because filing the wrong one loses months.
Not for EU nationals
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need no invitation — only registration, AFM and AMKA once they arrive.
How the process runs
Quota and eligibility check
We confirm that the region, occupation and available positions match the hire, and that the company's tax and insurance standing supports the filing.
Employer application
The invitation application is filed with the competent authority, with the job description, terms, accommodation evidence and company documentation.
Approval and consular stage
Once approved, the worker applies for the national entry visa at the Greek consulate in their country of residence, using the approved invitation.
Arrival and residence permit
After entry, the residence permit for employment is filed at the migration office, with biometrics and the blue receipt covering lawful stay.
Registration and payroll
AFM, AMKA, EFKA registration, bank account and — if you want it — housing and settling-in support for the worker.
Typical document pack
- Employer application with the role, terms and duration of employment
- Company registration, tax clearance and insurance clearance documents
- Evidence of accommodation arrangements where required
- Worker's passport valid for the requested period
- Criminal record certificate and, where required, medical certificate
- Officially translated and, where required, apostilled personal documents
Exact requirements depend on nationality, role and the consulate or migration office handling the case. We confirm your list before anything is filed.
Questions we get asked
What exactly is metaklisi?
It is the invitation procedure: a Greek employer formally invites a specific third-country national to fill a position, the authorities approve it against the published quota, and the worker then obtains an entry visa and a residence permit for employment.
How does the quota work?
Available positions are set periodically per region and occupation by joint ministerial decision. If the quota for your region and role is exhausted, the application cannot be approved in that cycle — so timing is part of the strategy.
How long does the whole process take?
Plan on several months end to end. Once we file, the consulate has a strict 30 calendar days to approve or reject and notify the one-stop-shop service, which then has 15 calendar days to notify you — the employer filing and in-country permit stages add further time on top. We confirm a dated timeline once we've checked your sector's quota and region.
Can a staffing agency handle the invitation instead of us?
Yes. Under the current law, a licensed temporary staffing agency (ΕΠΑ) can act as the formal employer of record for the invitation and file on your behalf, while you remain the indirect employer. Not every agency qualifies — the law sets minimum share capital and other conditions — so we check this route case by case.
What are the employer's obligations after arrival?
Real employment on the declared terms, correct payroll and EFKA registration, and keeping documentation current for renewals. Mismatches between the declared and actual terms are the most common cause of renewal problems.
Related services
Most cases touch more than one workstream. Here is what usually comes before or after this step.
Work permits & residence
Employer-sponsored permits, residence cards and renewals.
See how it worksEU Blue Card Greece
Fast-track permit for highly qualified hires.
See how it worksRelocation & housing
Housing search, leases, utilities and the move itself.
See how it worksSettling in
AFM, AMKA, banking, schools and family support.
See how it worksPlanning a metaklisi hire?
Send us the role, the region and the candidate's nationality. We'll tell you whether the quota supports it and what the timeline looks like.