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

Realities of working in Greece as a Filipino in 2026

If you are a Filipino welder, driver, caregiver, construction worker, or hospitality staff member looking for legal employment in Europe, Greece is an active market. The country has expanded its labor intake in recent years to fill clear shortages in technical trades, agriculture, and service sectors. However, moving to Greece from the Philippines is not an overnight process. It relies on a official quota and approval system managed by the Greek government.

Before you can apply for a visa in the Philippines, your employer in Greece must get permission from local state authorities to hire you. This government approval step can take several months due to Greek administrative backlogs. If you are looking for an immediate deployment within a few weeks, Greece may require more patience than you expect. Countries in Central Europe, such as Poland or Romania, often process trade visas with shorter administrative waiting periods. But if you have a reliable employer in Greece willing to start the official process, the legal pathway is clear, structured, and entirely achievable.

The Greek work visa process and official routes

For skilled and manual trade workers from the Philippines, the correct legal pathway to Greece is the National Employment Visa, officially designated as a Type D Visa (or Eskpysi Ergadias in Greek). This is not a tourist visa or an EU Blue Card, which is reserved for university-educated specialists. It is a dedicated national work visa that leads to a temporary residence permit once you arrive in Greece.

• Step 1: Employer approval in Greece (Metaklisi) - Your employer initiates the entire process. They must submit a formal application called a Metaklisi to the Decentralized Administration (Apokentromeni Dioikisi) in the Greek region where the work will take place. The employer must prove that the position could not be filled by a Greek or EU citizen.
• Step 2: Authorization transfer to Manila - Once the local Greek authority approves the Metaklisi, they send an official clearance document to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, which then forwards the clearance to the Embassy of Greece in Manila.
• Step 3: Worker visa application - After the Greek Embassy in Manila receives your official approval notice, you are authorized to book an appointment and submit your visa application in the Philippines.
• Step 4: Arrival and residence permit - Upon landing in Greece with your Type D visa, your employer assists you in registering with the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum to receive your residence permit for work (Adia Diamonis gia Ergasia).

Where to apply in Manila and required documents

Filipino applicants must submit their visa paperwork in person in the Philippines. Applications are processed through the VFS Global Greece Visa Application Centre in Manila or directly at the Embassy of Greece in Manila. You must never travel to Greece to apply for a work permit after arriving on a tourist visa.

You will need to collect, verify, and legalise several key documents before your appointment. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines must legalise your official Philippine documents with an Apostille stamp so that Greek government agencies accept them as legal.

• Signed employment contract - A binding job contract or formal employment offer signed by your employer in Greece and stamped by the local Greek labor authority.
• Valid Philippine passport - Your passport must have at least two blank pages and remain valid for at least 3 months beyond the expiration date of the visa you are requesting.
• NBI Clearance - A valid National Bureau of Investigation clearance showing a clean record. This document must carry a DFA Apostille stamp.
• Proof of qualifications and work history - Certificates from TESDA, previous employer references, or trade licenses proving your skill in your specific field, authenticated with a DFA Apostille.
• Medical certificate - A health clearance issued by an accredited medical clinic in the Philippines confirming that you do not carry communicable diseases.
• Biometrics and application forms - Completed National Visa forms along with digital fingerprints and passport photographs taken at the visa center.

Official fees, real expenses, and placement rules

Understanding your costs upfront helps you avoid financial traps. Costs are split between official government fees and personal preparation expenses in the Philippines.

• Official Greek visa fee - Set directly by the Greek government, this national visa fee is approximately 75 EUR to 150 EUR, payable in Philippine Pesos at the application center.
• VFS service fee - The visa application center charges a administrative service fee of approximately 20 EUR to 35 EUR in local currency.
• DFA Apostille fees - Standard DFA processing costs approximately 100 PHP to 200 PHP per document stamp (for your NBI clearance, trade certificates, and birth certificate).
• NBI clearance fee - Approximately 160 PHP to 200 PHP depending on online processing options.
• Medical examination - Medical checks at accredited Philippine clinics generally range from 3,000 PHP to 6,000 PHP (approximately 50 EUR to 100 EUR).
• Airfare - A one-way flight from Manila to Athens typically costs between 350 EUR and 700 EUR (21,000 PHP to 42,000 PHP). Many legitimate employers cover or reimburse flight tickets, but you should clarify this in your contract.
• Processing time - From the moment your employer files the Metaklisi in Greece until your visa is issued in Manila, the timeline typically ranges from approximately 2 to 5 months.

Under regulations set by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in the Philippines and European fair recruitment policies, employers pay for the costs of recruitment. No agency or employer may legally charge you a placement fee or a job reservation fee just to secure a job offer in Greece. Be extremely cautious of fixers or online agencies demanding upfront processing fees into personal bank accounts or money transfer agents.

Trades that Greece hires foreign workers for

Greece actively hires international workers across several core industries to solve long-term labor shortages. Here are three major fields hiring skilled and manual workers right now:

• Agriculture and farm operations - Agricultural enterprises across mainland Greece and regional islands regularly recruit foreign workers for fruit harvesting, crop management, and farm equipment maintenance.
• Hospitality and tourism support - Hotels, resorts, and coastal food service businesses hire maintenance technicians, kitchen utility staff, and facility cleaners for extended summer and year-round operations.
• Construction and specialized technical trades - Infrastructure development and building renovation projects recruit certified welders, concrete formworkers, heavy equipment operators, and industrial electricians.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: You can travel to Athens on a tourist visa and convert it into a work permit after finding a job in person.
  Fact: It is illegal to seek work or convert a tourist visa into an employment permit inside Greece. The Metaklisi application must be initiated by an employer while you are still legally residing in the Philippines.
• Myth: Agencies in Manila can charge you a 100,000 PHP placement fee to guarantee a work visa for Greece.
  Fact: Charging placement fees for European work placement is illegal under DMW rules, and legitimate Greek employers cover official recruitment expenses.
• Myth: You must speak fluent Greek before you can work in manual or skilled trades in Greece.
  Fact: While basic Greek is helpful for daily life, many international worksites in construction, hospitality, and agriculture operate in basic English.
• Myth: A Greek work visa allows you to live and work in any other country in Western Europe immediately.
  Fact: A Greek national work visa gives you legal work rights strictly inside Greece. It permits short visits to other Schengen area countries as a tourist, but not legal employment there.

Before you sign

Protect yourself before agreeing to any employment offer or signing paperwork. Go through this checklist step by step:

• Verify DMW agency registration - Ensure that any Philippine recruitment agency you deal with holds a valid license from the Department of Migrant Workers.
• Review the certified contract - Confirm that your contract clearly states your monthly base salary, daily working hours, overtime terms, and accommodation details.
• Confirm who pays recruitment fees - Ensure the employer covers the costs of the local Greek work permit filing and that no illegal deductions will be taken from your monthly pay.
• Complete your DFA Apostilles early - Get your NBI clearance, TESDA certificates, and personal documents apostilled at the DFA as soon as you begin job discussions to prevent delays later.
• Keep duplicate records - Maintain clear digital and physical copies of your signed contract, DFA apostilled documents, VFS receipts, and official employer communications.

Take the next step with Workuro

If you are ready to explore direct employment opportunities with employers in Europe, create your complete worker profile on Workuro. Make sure to detail your specific trade experience, list any trade certificates or TESDA credentials you hold, state your document readiness including passport validity, and note your English or Greek language abilities. A accurate profile allows European companies seeking trade skills to discover your background directly.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.