Thousands of Migrants in Limbo After the Sudden Withdrawal of the New Work Residence Permit

In a move that surprised both the migrants, the administration, and the labor market, the new Minister of Migration and Asylum, Makis Voridis, withdrew the provision that allowed the extension of the deadline for submitting applications for a work residence permit – also known as the Article 193 permit – until September 30, 2025. This decision directly contradicts the ministry’s policy in previous months, leaving thousands of people who had already started the legalization process in uncertainty.

This particular category of residence permit, which had been introduced and implemented by the same government for the entirety of 2024, provided for the legalization of migrants who have been residing in Greece for over three years and have secured an employer. In practice, it was a necessary procedure that addressed both the pressing needs of the labor market and the need for rationalization of migration policy.

The Ministry itself had left the electronic platform for submitting applications open for the first three months of 2025, with the reasonable belief that the extension would be carried out as planned. Thousands of people submitted applications and paid a fee of 300 euros, following the official procedures. However, the sudden decision by the new Minister now jeopardizes both the processing of these applications and the legal status of the applicants.

This situation creates a wave of uncertainty for both the migrants themselves and the employers who rely on their labor. Instead of solving the long-standing problem of delays in issuing and renewing residence permits, the government has chosen to introduce new obstacles, at a time when the labor market continues to be under pressure from workforce shortages.

Mr. Voridis’s move seems more like a show of political strength aimed at a specific audience than a decision based on the country’s actual needs.

In response to this reality, the government must answer two critical questions:

1. What will happen to the applications that were submitted and the 300-euro fees already paid?
2. How will the labor market’s needs be met, considering that the government itself recognized the necessity of this category of permits?

Migration policy cannot be conducted speaking in the first person, with sudden changes that leave thousands of people with no solution. Instead of ideological games, a realistic approach is needed, based on transparency, consistency, and respect for the fundamental rights of all people.