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

The permit route for Togolese workers

Greece hires non-EU workers through an annual quota set by a Joint Ministerial Decision (Koini Ypourgiki Apofasi), fixing how many foreign workers each region and sector - chiefly agriculture, tourism and construction - can take on for the year. 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 that covers Togo. Qualification alone will not help if the quota for that sector and region has already closed.

Greece keeps almost no diplomatic presence in West Africa and has no recruitment agreement with Togo, which makes this a slow and uncertain path. France's existing, if competitive, labour channels for Francophone West Africa are often a more realistic first step.

A Greek seasonal permit is normally tied to one contract and one season, not a year-round stay, and renewing it the following year means a fresh quota application, even with the same employer. The EU Blue Card is built for highly skilled, well-paid roles with a university degree, and it essentially never applies to driving, welding, construction or hospitality work, so do not plan around it.

Since the employer's own quota application has to clear first, the real pace-setter is how early they applied, not how quickly you gather your paperwork - ask them for a status update before spending money on your side.

Check whether any Greek mission covers Togo directly; given Greece's limited network in the region, you will likely need the nearest Greek embassy or visa centre serving Togo, possibly in a different country. Confirm this before planning travel, since a Schengen partner generally cannot issue a Greek national visa on Greece's behalf. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs website is the best place to check current missions and visa centres rather than relying on outdated advice.

Documents, and legalisation

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

Togo is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so your police certificate and civil documents need full consular legalisation - a chain of stamps through the relevant Togolese authority and then the Greek mission - rather than a simple apostille. Start this process as early as possible, and once legalised, make sure the Greek translation of each document comes from a translator Greek authorities actually recognise, since work from outside that circle can be rejected. Keep a scanned copy of every original before it goes off for legalisation, so a lost page does not cost you the whole process.

What this costs

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

On your side, expect modest fees in CFA francs for the police certificate and medical check, legalisation and certified translation together often running into the low hundreds of thousands of 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 your contract starts, and book the flight only once the visa is actually issued.

The Greek employer carries recruitment costs, not you - confirm this directly with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum before paying anything. Be wary of brokers in Lome charging an upfront fee for a guaranteed Greek contract - this exact scam shape has targeted Togolese jobseekers before, and a genuine employer never needs your money to hire you.

Where the jobs actually are

Agriculture is Greece's largest legal channel for foreign labour, with seasonal harvest work taking on the most workers under the quota. Tourism and hospitality hire heavily during the summer season along the coast and islands. Construction also takes on some foreign tradespeople, in smaller numbers. Port and shipping-adjacent work around Piraeus occasionally needs manual labour too, though that market is smaller and far less predictable than seasonal farm work.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: French will carry you through a Greek job. Fact: Greek workplaces run mostly on Greek or English - French offers little here, even on a crew drawn from several French-speaking countries working side by side.
• Myth: A tourist visa can become a work permit once you arrive. Fact: the quota-linked work visa must be secured before travel.
• Myth: Togolese documents are accepted directly by Greek authorities without any extra step first. Fact: they need full consular legalisation first.
• Myth: An agent who promises a fast Greek visa for a fee is trustworthy. Fact: a request for payment before a signed contract is a clear warning sign.
• Myth: A seasonal permit continues automatically the following year. Fact: each season requires a brand new quota application and visa, no matter how well the last one went.

Before you sign

• Confirmed quota slot: make sure the employer's position is approved within the current quota, not just promised.
• Written contract: get pay, hours and season dates in writing before you travel anywhere.
• Right office: identify the correct embassy or visa centre serving Togo.
• Translations: line up a translator Greek authorities actually accept before you need one, and confirm this early rather than at the last minute.
• Legalisation early: start document legalisation immediately given how long it takes.
• Who pays: put the recruitment-cost split in writing before anyone starts the paperwork.
• No upfront fees: refuse any upfront payment before a signed contract exists, no matter how the request is framed.
• Season end: ask what the plan is for your permit and travel once the season or contract ends.

Put it on your Workuro profile

Set out your target route on your profile - National Visa for seasonal or trade work in Greece, the sector and season you are aiming for, and how far your legalisation has progressed. Employers looking for Togolese agricultural or hospitality workers want to see you already understand the process. Mention any Greek or English you speak alongside French, and note any previous seasonal work in Europe, since that history matters to an employer filling a short window, and say plainly how soon you could travel once a contract is actually signed and all the paperwork is fully done. 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.