How to Hire Painters and Decorators in Greece from Abroad (2026)

6 min

1. The Painter Shortage in Greece: Realities and Regional Demand

Greek construction and commercial renovation projects face an acute shortage of skilled painters and decorators (ελαιοχρωματιστές). Driven by the surge in hotel refurbishments ahead of the tourism season, high demand for short-term rental fit-outs, and government-subsidized energy efficiency upgrades under the Exoikonomo program, local contract painters are overbooked for months. The shortage is most severe in major metropolitan centres like Attica (Athens metro) and Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki), as well as high-volume tourist regions including the South Aegean (Cyclades and Dodecanese islands), Crete, and the Ionian Islands.

Hiring painters directly from non-EU countries is legally possible, but it is not a rapid fix. Historically, Greek painting contractors relied heavily on local resident non-EU workers or subcontractors already holding Greek residence permits. Bringing a new painter from abroad via official state channels requires navigating Greek immigration bureaucracy months before your job site opens. If you need a site fully painted in March for the spring hotel opening, waiting until January to start hiring from abroad will leave your project unfinished. Employers who choose this route do so to build reliable crews for multi-year project pipelines or large commercial developments, recognizing that quick spot-hires cannot be solved through non-EU visa applications.

The trade follows a distinct seasonal pattern in Greece. Demand peaks twice annually: heavily between January and April when commercial, residential, and hospitality properties prepare for the summer opening, and moderately between September and November during post-season structural repairs and interior maintenance.

2. The Legal Route: The Metaklisi Process Step by Step

The legal mechanism for bringing a non-EU worker to Greece for dependent employment (εξαρτημένη εργασία) is known as Metaklisi (μετάκληση). The primary framework governing this process is Greece's Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023). Under this system, the employer initiates the visa application in Greece before the worker enters the country.

Immigration rules and regional quotas change frequently. Employers must always verify current rules and active ministerial decisions directly with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου) or their local Decentralized Administration (Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση) before making job offers.

The Metaklisi legal process involves five mandatory stages:

Quota verification: The Greek government publishes a biennial Joint Ministerial Decision (Υπουργική Απόφαση) specifying the maximum number of non-EU residence permits allocated per region and skill category. Your local Decentralized Administration must have available quota slots for skilled technical workers.
Employer application: The employer files an official request with the Decentralized Administration in their region. The file must include the draft employment contract, tax clearance certificates proving financial solvency, and proof that the offered wage meets Greek statutory floors.
Pre-approval and financial guarantee: Once approved, the Decentralized Administration issues a formal authorization. The employer must deposit a bank letter of guarantee (or cash bond) covering the worker's potential return travel expenses.
Consular visa issuance: The approval is forwarded to the competent Greek Embassy or Consulate in the worker's home country. The worker attends an in-person interview, submits background checks and medical clearance, and receives a National Work Visa (Type D).
Arrival and permit application: Upon arrival in Greece, the worker obtains a Tax Registration Number (AFM) and Social Security Number (AMKA/EFKA). The employer files the final application for the worker's Single Residence and Work Permit (Άδεια Διαμονής) via the electronic portal of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

3. Realistic Timelines: From Decision to First Day on Site

Employers should plan for a total timeframe of 5 to 9 months from the day they decide to hire until the worker steps onto the job site. Attempting to rush this process usually leads to rejection due to missing documentation.

A typical timeline unfolds across three distinct phases:

Phase 1: Greek administrative approval (2 to 4 months): Filing the request with the Decentralized Administration, verifying regional quotas, checking employer tax compliance, and securing the pre-approval document.
Phase 2: Consular processing and visa issuance (2 to 4 months): Document verification at the Greek Embassy abroad, appointment booking, police background clearance, medical exams, and Type D visa stamping. Timelines vary significantly depending on consular capacity in the worker's home country.
Phase 3: Entry, setup, and site deployment (2 to 4 weeks): Arrival in Greece, travel to the work location, issuance of AFM and AMKA, completion of the EFKA employment declaration (Ergani system), and submission of the residence permit application.

4. Wage Requirements, EFKA, Housing, and Recognition

Greek labour laws enforce strict pay structures and social security obligations. Employers cannot undercut statutory standards when hiring non-EU workers.

Mandatory 14-month salary structure: In Greece, private-sector employees receive 14 payments per year, not 12. This consists of 12 monthly base salaries, plus a full month extra salary as a Christmas bonus (Doro Xristougennon), a half month salary as an Easter bonus (Doro Pascha), and a half month salary as a vacation allowance (Epidoma Adeias).
Pay scales: While the statutory minimum daily wage for manual workers is approximately 37 to 40 EUR gross, realistic market rates for skilled painters and surface decorators range from 55 EUR to 75 EUR gross per day (roughly 1,200 EUR to 1,700 EUR gross monthly base, before calculating the 14-payment adjustment).
Social security (EFKA): Employers are required to register workers with the national social security fund (EFKA). Employer social contributions add approximately 22% on top of the worker's gross wage, while worker contributions (roughly 13.8%) are deducted at source.
Housing obligations: For projects in urban hubs like Athens or Thessaloniki, employers are not legally required to provide long-term housing, though helping secure initial rental accommodation is standard practice to prevent delays. However, on island sites (such as Mykonos, Santorini, or Rhodes) where local housing is extremely scarce and costly, offering employer-funded accommodation or a dedicated monthly housing allowance is mandatory in practice to secure and retain staff.
Qualification recognition: Painting and decorating is not a tightly regulated trade requiring formal licensing from EOPPEP (the national qualifications authority) in the same way electrical or plumbing trades do. However, to pass consular scrutiny, candidates must demonstrate relevant practical experience through prior employment certificates, trade references, or vocational training diplomas.

5. What This Costs You, Roughly

Budgeting for non-EU hiring requires accounting for upfront administrative and logistical expenses alongside standard payroll costs. Below is a realistic summary of non-payroll costs per worker:

Employer application fee (Paravolo): 200 EUR paid to the Greek state upon initial application.
Consular visa fee (Type D): 150 EUR paid directly to the Greek Consulate abroad.
Repatriation bank guarantee: 500 EUR to 1,200 EUR held by a bank (or deposited) to cover potential return travel costs, released upon contract completion.
Inbound travel: 300 EUR to 700 EUR for one-way flight tickets from the origin country to Greece.
Legal and administrative support (optional): 400 EUR to 1,000 EUR if hiring an immigration lawyer or labor consultant to manage local Decentralized Administration filings.
Initial housing and setup: 300 EUR to 800 EUR per month on island or remote projects where accommodation must be provided.

6. Employer Liability and Mandatory Recruitment Standards

Legitimate employers must bear all costs associated with obtaining work pre-approval and filing applications in Greece. Under Greek immigration law and international labour standards, it is strictly illegal to require a job seeker to pay for their employment contract, visa authorization, or recruitment processing.

Workers who are asked to pay upfront fees by intermediaries or illegal recruiters are frequently victims of labour exploitation and fraud. Engaging with shady brokers who extract payments from workers exposes your company to severe legal liabilities under Ministry of Labour audits, immediate cancellation of work permits, heavy administrative fines, and potential criminal charges. You must verify that your recruitment process remains transparent and free of any charges to the applicant.

7. How to Search the Workuro Registry for Painters

Workuro operates as an open worker registry, not a recruitment agency. Candidates who are open to working in Greece publish profiles detailing their trade experience, skills, and language abilities. Employers search the database directly and contact candidates without paying per-hire commissions, agency fees, or placement charges.

Our registry is young and still growing. You will not find thousands of candidates in every specialty immediately. However, the painters registered on Workuro have explicitly indicated their willingness to relocate to international job sites. Once you connect with a painter who matches your technical requirements, you can extend a direct offer and initiate the Metaklisi legal application through your local Decentralized Administration.