India and Greece close to signing landmark Labour Accord for worker migration

The Republic of India and the Balkan nation of Greece are on the verge of signing a Labour Accord which will revolutionize the migration protocols between them, thus ensuring that the movement of workers between them suits the needs of both sides.

For Greece, it is of the utmost importance that it has the support of the government of India, so as to make sure that the labour force making its way to the nation integrates well with Greek society and meets the nation’s due diligence requirements.

This particular aspect of labour migration has been emphasized as nations such as Canada came under pressure recently for the lack of efficient and effective due diligence modalities. This has led to many questionable characters making their way to Canada, leading to repercussions that the nation is now having a hard time dealing with.

It is interesting to note that Greece has positioned itself as one of the first nations in the region to have taken this issue quite seriously. The Greek government has been observing the manner in which criminals of various kinds have been able to manipulate the system, often getting back to their original tendencies in their adopted nation.

With this in mind, immigration authorities in Greece have been working diligently with their Indian counter-parts, making use of a myriad of diplomatic channels to arrive at an agreement that both sides can be pleased with.

Most importantly, Greece has approached labour migration with rigour and is looking to build a system which ensures that background checks and due diligence procedures in the nation meet the highest standards possible.

The Labour Accord’s impact is not merely limited to this specific facet though, as it allows Greece to spur its economic recovery, while also addressing the nation’s urgent need for labour, which has been limiting the market to this point.

India is a prime example of a nation which can offer Greece a functional and easily accessible workforce which is both semi-skilled and skilled. Since the potential is obviously there, all that is left for the two nations to do is hash out the finer details of the agreement.

One of the most vital stipulations that both sides are adamant on implementing, is the selection criteria to be followed. Both nations agree that only law-abiding citizens who have the right qualifications, skills and profiles should be allowed to make use of the programme for migration.

It is crucial for Greece that the vetting process to be put in place for this immense undertaking is efficient and doesn’t allow criminals or fraudsters to by-pass the system. It is necessary that while Greece looks outwards to meet its economic and labour related needs, the nation does not lose sight of the social values that set it apart.

The accord is said to be a priority for both nations but will not be limited to relations between Greece and India alone. Moldova, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Armenia, and Vietnam are also going to be a part of this initiative, as they have the capacity to meet the needs of the Greek labour market and economy with relative ease.

The Greek Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Dimitris Kairides, made use of a radio broadcast to delineate the nation’s labour migration strategy and revealed that the online platform which will act as a conduit for applications and other related processes to be submitted to the immigration authorities was launched on the 9th of February, 2024.

He also stated that the system is working impeccably and has already begun processing more than 2,000 applications, with countless other expected to be submitted in the coming months.

The Labour Migration Programme on offer has piqued the interest of many, with conservative estimates suggesting that the number of applications could quite easily rise to 200,000 if not more.

Kairides said that the government is aware of the need to integrate the labour force with the economy of the nation and added that steps are being taken to introduce legislations which will facilitate just that. The decision is considered to be a clear indicator of the fact that the Greek government is making a concerted effort to ensure that the migration process is as convenient as possible for qualified and deserving candidates.

As a result of this initiative, the Greek government will have the ability to issue work permits efficiently to the incoming workforce and allow the labour market within the nation to transition into its new role rather seamlessly.

The government is considering the use of two modalities by which, work permit applications from the many countries involved will be processed.

This would allow an applicant to pay the due diligence fee directly to the government, which would allow them to go through the preapproved screening process conducted by recognized international partners.

Conversely, applicants can also have their documentation verified by international organisations that have been recognized and authorized by the government of Greece beforehand.

Option 1:

The first option will allow applicants to get in touch with the government of Greece directly and pursue the due diligence and verification process in a streamlined manner. This is also seen as an excellent option for those seeking a certain degree of accountability in the proceedings.

Option 2:

The second option allows an applicant to pay the due diligence fee to government approved international agencies which have the authority and expertise to go through with the background checks and verification processes necessary. Another fail safe in this process is that upon the completion of verification, both the international body and the applicant must simultaneously submit the paperwork required, to ensure that both sets of documents can be cross referenced and vetted by the government of Greece.

The government of Greece is pursuing this initiative in a very thorough manner, making sure that there are no loopholes which can be exploited, thus maintaining the efficacy and integrity of the workforce coming in as Greece brings migrant labour to meet its requirements.

EU’s approach to migration

The European Union has made a shift in its approach recently, in a bid to push member states towards overhauling their migration programmes with the overarching aim of securing Schengen states.

Instances that show that the regulation of migration and golden visas is the need of the hour have forced the European Union to take notice of the potential risks when it comes to granting citizenship in exchange for investment without a strong verification process to mitigate the risks that come with it.

The European Union is specifically focused on member nations which have visa-free waivers and golden visa schemes as they have the potential to expose the region to questionable and even criminal elements, which heightens security challenges for European states.

This is precisely why nations which have golden visa programmes now find themselves under the cosh and are looking to make sure that their verification processes are airtight, to maintain the security of Schengen states.

The policies that the European Union is attempting to embrace now, show that the region is looking to clamp down on criminal operations which have used Europe to their benefit for terrorism, money laundering and the trafficking of various goods.