Working in Greece from Senegal: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

The permit route for Senegalese workers

Greece hires non-EU workers through an annual quota system: a Joint Ministerial Decision (Koini Ypourgiki Apofasi) fixes how many foreign workers each region and sector can take on, mostly in agriculture, tourism and construction. Your employer has to secure a position inside that quota first, through the regional Decentralised Administration, before you can apply for the National Visa (D) for employment at the Greek mission responsible for Senegal. A genuine job offer is not enough on its own if the quota for that sector and region is already full for the year.

Greece has no bilateral labour agreement with Senegal, and its diplomatic presence in West Africa is limited, so this route tends to move slowly. Spain and Portugal, with larger existing Senegalese communities and more direct channels, are often more realistic first options.

A Greek seasonal work permit is normally tied to a single contract and a single season, not a year-round stay, and has to be renewed through a new quota application the next year even with the same employer. The EU Blue Card is built for highly skilled, well-paid roles requiring a university degree, and it essentially never covers driving, welding, construction or hospitality work, so do not count on it here.

Because the employer's quota application must clear before your own visa file can open, the real pace-setter is how early they applied, not how fast you personally gather documents - ask them directly for a status update.

Check whether Greece maintains a resident embassy in Dakar; if not, you will likely be directed to the nearest Greek embassy or visa centre serving Senegal, possibly in a neighbouring country. Confirm this before planning any travel, since another Schengen state generally cannot issue a Greek national work visa on Greece's behalf. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs website lists current missions and visa centres and is worth checking directly rather than relying on older advice.

Documents, and the apostille route

• Contract: a signed contract or binding written offer.
• Passport: valid for your stay.
• Police clearance: a recent Senegalese police clearance certificate.
• Qualification proof: evidence of trade qualification or experience.
• Health insurance: valid in Greece.
• Biometrics: taken at the application stage.

Senegal is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so your police certificate and civil documents can be apostilled by the relevant Senegalese authority rather than fully legalised. Still allow real time for the apostille itself and for certified translation into Greek, done by a translator Greek authorities actually recognise, since work from outside that circle can be rejected and has to be redone. Keep a scanned copy of every original document before sending it anywhere for apostille or translation, in case a page is lost along the way.

What this costs

Greece's fees are set by the destination and can change, so confirm with the embassy directly - roughly, the national visa fee runs approximately 75 to 90 euros, with the process, tied to the quota decision, often taking several months.

On the Senegalese side, expect modest fees in CFA francs for the police certificate and medical check, apostille plus certified translation together often running around 30,000 to 80,000 XOF, and a flight to Greece that typically costs 500 to 900 euros. Keep every receipt from these steps, since some employers reimburse part of the travel cost once you actually start work, and book the flight only after the visa is issued rather than on a promised approval.

The Greek employer, not you, carries the cost of recruiting you - confirm this with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum before paying anything. Be cautious of brokers in Dakar promising a confirmed Greek harvest job for an upfront fee - this exact scam shape has targeted Senegalese jobseekers before, and a real employer never asks for payment to hire you.

Where the demand actually is

Agriculture is Greece's largest legal channel for foreign labour, with seasonal fruit and vegetable harvesting taking on workers every year under the quota. Tourism and hospitality hire heavily during the summer season on the islands and coast. Construction also takes on foreign tradespeople in smaller numbers. Some port and shipping-related work near Piraeus also comes up for manual labour, though it is a smaller and far less predictable channel than the farms.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: French is useful for finding work in Greece. Fact: Greek employers mostly operate in Greek or English - French carries little weight here, even on a farm crew with many nationalities.
• Myth: A tourist visa can become a work permit once you arrive. Fact: the quota-linked work visa has to be approved before you travel.
• Myth: Any Senegalese worker with a skill will be accepted regardless of the season. Fact: the quota is tied to specific sectors and time periods - timing matters as much as skill.
• Myth: A broker who already sends workers to Greece can skip the employer's quota step. Fact: the employer's approved position inside the quota always has to exist first, regardless of how strong your own application looks.
• Myth: A seasonal permit carries over automatically the following year. Fact: each season needs a brand new quota application and a brand new visa, even with the same employer.

Before you sign

• Confirmed quota slot: make sure the employer's position is actually approved within the current quota.
• Written contract: get pay, hours and season dates in writing before you travel anywhere.
• Right office: identify the correct Greek embassy or visa centre for Senegalese applicants.
• Translations: line up a translator Greek authorities actually accept before you need one, and confirm this early rather than at the last minute.
• Apostille early: start the apostille and translation process early.
• Who pays: put the recruitment-cost split in writing before anyone starts the paperwork.
• No upfront fees: refuse any quota fee or upfront payment request, however convincingly it is explained.
• Season end: ask what happens to your permit and your travel once the contract or season ends.

Put it on your Workuro profile

State your target route clearly - National Visa for seasonal or trade work in Greece, the sector and season you are aiming for, and how prepared your apostilled documents are. Employers looking for Senegalese agricultural or hospitality workers want to see you already understand how the quota works. Mention any Greek, English or French you speak, and note any past seasonal work in Europe, since that history carries weight with an employer filling a short window. Take your time with each step and keep good records throughout. Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.