Greece is grappling with a severe shortage of agricultural workers, prompting urgent calls from exporters to relax entry requirements for hiring foreign labourers.

The deficit, estimated at 180,000 workers, has left swathes of land uncultivated and crops unharvested, dealing a significant blow to farmers and the economy, reported Schengen.News.

The National Interprofessional Organization for Table Olives (DOEPEL) revealed that up to 30 per cent of the country's green olives from the 2022/23 season were left unharvested, resulting in nearly €27 million in agricultural revenue losses. Insurance contribution shortfalls are estimated to exceed two million euros.

In response, exporters are advocating for a strategy mirroring the French model, which would streamline hiring criteria for third-country nationals. Greece has already received 14,000 applications for work residence permits following recent legislative amendments, with authorities anticipating this number to surpass 30,000.

Greece has inked an agreement with Egypt to recruit 5,000 seasonal workers for the upcoming agricultural season to address immediate shortages. The initiative facilitated through a dedicated platform on the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s website since June 10, 2024, marks a crucial step forward.

Despite these efforts, industry experts remain concerned, particularly in regions like Crete, Peloponnese, and Macedonia, where the demand for seasonal workers is estimated to reach 80,000.

The Prefecture of Messinia alone requires approximately 4,800 agricultural workers for the entire nine-month cultivation period, according to Aggelis Korovilas, president of the Agricultural Association of Philiatrians of Messinia.

Looking ahead, Greece plans to allocate 147,926 residence permits for third-country national workers across 13 regions for 2023 and 2024.

Previous proposals to integrate irregular migrants into the workforce have also been considered, aiming to alleviate shortages in vital sectors such as construction, agriculture, and tourism, as stated by Minister of Migration Dimitris Kairidis in September 2023.