Legal Documents of Third-Country Nationals with the Right to Work

SolidarityNow presents a new, user-friendly tool designed to assist employers the “Guide to Legal Documents of Third-Country Nationals with the Right to Work.”

This Guide is intended for businesses, employers, and HR professionals who are looking to hire third-country nationals. It offers clear and comprehensive information on:

• The types of residence permits currently valid in Greece for third-country nationals.
• The employment rights associated with each category of permit.

With this Guide, interested parties can familiarize themselves with the current legal framework, ensure the legality of hiring practices, streamline recruitment and integration processes, and foster transparency, inclusion, and efficiency in the workplace.

The Guide serves multiple purposes:

• To enhance understanding of relevant legislation
• To promote compliance with legal requirements
• To address the operational needs of businesses
• To support diversity and equal participation in the labor market

“With this Guide, we aim to bring businesses closer to the people who live among us and who have the right — and the desire — to contribute through their work. We want to encourage lawful and fair employment and to remind everyone that by supporting these individuals, we are strengthening not only the labor market but also society as a whole”, Mary Asvesta, Head of Employability Service at SolidarityNow.

The Guide is only available in Greek here.

It was developed within the framework of the employability and legal support services provided at the organization’s Solidarity Centers in Athens and Thessaloniki. Since August 1st, 2023, the operation of Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow is supported by the Swiss-Greek Cooperation Programme (Embassy of Switzerland in Greece) to reducing economic and social disparities in the EU and by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. The Athens Solidarity Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.

As part of the initiative “ProCap-PROtection of victims of trafficking, CAPacity building and support to key stakeholders”, SolidarityNow is providing vital support services through two Mobile Units operating in Attica and Central Macedonia.

The services offered include:

• Psychosocial and legal support

• Interpretation

• Integration and employment support activities

These services are delivered through both individual case management and group interventions, aiming to prevent the re-victimization of confirmed or potential victims of human trafficking.

In 2024, SolidarityNow’s Mobile Unit specialists supported 159 individuals from 24 different countries, delivering a total of 853 psychosocial and legal support sessions.

Key Findings from the 2024 Support Activities:

• 54% of the individuals supported were women

• 55% were aged between 18 and 29 years old

• 37% faced multiple vulnerabilities, such as experiences of gender-based violence, serious medical conditions, or significant mental health challenges

• The majority of beneficiaries originated from Sub-Saharan African countries, as well as Syria and Ukraine

• Reported forms of trafficking included sexual exploitation, labor exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced marriage

These findings highlight the complex and diverse needs of trafficking survivors and the critical importance of tailored, trauma-informed support. Through ProCap, SolidarityNow remains committed to empowering survivors and fostering resilience through comprehensive care.

Infographic 2024

Success Stories

In 2024, the ProCap team achieved a significant victory in the fight against human trafficking—a crime that violates human dignity, strips individuals of their freedom, and infringes upon fundamental rights. Through its intervention in an active trafficking case in a neighboring country, and with the invaluable support of relevant national and cross-border authorities and services, the team contributed to the rescue of a young individual held in trafficking conditions and their reunification with family members in Greece.

Similarly, in early 2025, a young woman, with the support of the ProCap team, was officially recognized by the competent prosecutorial authorities as a victim of trafficking. This recognition grants her the right to a residence permit as a victim of human trafficking, along with access to protection services.

Through these critical interventions, ProCap continues in 2025 to provide holistic support to victims of trafficking, empowering them to reclaim their rights and rebuild their lives with dignity and safety.

The Situation in Greece and Europe

Greece remains one of the primary entry points for individuals seeking international protection in Europe. Displaced populations and people fleeing persecution are among the groups most vulnerable to human trafficking.

According to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, during the first half of 2024, 189 cases of human trafficking were officially recorded in Greece. Of these, 160 involved adult victims and 29 were children—including 13 unaccompanied minors.

Across Europe, the latest Eurostat data for 2023 recorded 10,793 victims of human trafficking, marking a 6.9% increase compared to 2022. This is the highest recorded number for the period 2008–2023, highlighting the growing scale and urgency of the issue across the continent.

* The project “PROCAP / PROtection of victims of trafficking, CAPacity building and support to key stakeholders” is co-funded by the European Union under the Programme Greece – Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2021-2027, as a Specific Action on the Provision of services to victims of trafficking in human beings who are third country nationals with OPS code: 6002554.

Standing Proudly with the LGBTQI+ Community

This year, once again, employees and volunteers of SolidarityNow are participating in Thessaloniki Pride, proudly supporting the ongoing struggle of the LGBTQI+ community.

We will gather on Saturday, June 21, 2024, at 19:00, starting from the White Tower.

This year’s theme highlights the global backlash against LGBTQI+ — and broader human — rights, which are increasingly being undermined through various pretexts and policies. Hard-won rights can never be taken for granted; they can be rolled back. That is why movements must continue to raise their voices, remain visible, and fight for a fairer and more inclusive world for all.

SolidarityNow has consistently stood by LGBTQI+ individuals, offering, among other services, free legal assistance and representation for the legal recognition of gender identity through its Solidarity Centers in Athens and Thessaloniki. These Centers also provide a full range of social support services, accessible to everyone, without discrimination.

For the fourth consecutive year, SolidarityNow’s employees and volunteers proudly join Athens Pride, standing in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community and supporting their ongoing struggle for rights, dignity, and inclusion.

This year, we will gather once again on Saturday, 14 June 2025, at 19:00 at Syntagma Square, to walk together on the path toward equality and respect for all.

“Twenty Years and Counting”

The first official Athens Pride, as we know it today, was held in 2005 at Klathmonos Square, with only 500 participants. In 2025, under the motto “Twenty Years and Counting,” Athens Pride marks its 20th anniversary. This year’s poster features a symbolic abacus—an educational tool associated with learning and accessibility, also used by visually impaired individuals.

The abacus metaphorically counts each year of Pride, adding not only the passage of time but also the community’s collective struggles, victories, losses, pain, and healing. It symbolizes the power to subtract homophobia and transphobia, and multiply acceptance and love.

SolidarityNow in Support of the LGBTQΙ+ Community

SolidarityNow stands firmly by the LGBTQΙ+ community, offering free legal support and representation for individuals undergoing the legal gender recognition process through its Solidarity Centres in Athens and Thessaloniki. These services are part of a broader framework of inclusive social support that is available to all individuals, without discrimination.

Join us as we celebrate, remember, and continue the fight for a just and inclusive society.

For more information about the Athens Pride event schedule, visit https://athenspride.eu/.

Η κλιματική κρίση αποτελεί μια πραγματικότητα που επηρεάζει ήδη τη ζωή μας. Οι επιστημονικές μελέτες το επιβεβαιώνουν: η άνοδος της θερμοκρασίας, η αύξηση των ακραίων καιρικών φαινομένων, οι ξηρασίες και οι πλημμύρες είναι φαινόμενα που εντείνονται και συνδέονται άμεσα με την ανθρώπινη δραστηριότητα. Η συνεχής κατανάλωση φυσικών πόρων χωρίς όρια, η εξάρτηση από τα ορυκτά καύσιμα και η καταστροφή των οικοσυστημάτων έχουν οδηγήσει τον πλανήτη σε κρίσιμο σημείο. Και αυτό έχει άμεσο αντίκτυπο στην ασφάλεια, την υγεία, τα δικαιώματά μας.

Στην Ευρώπη και στη χώρα μας, οι επιπτώσεις της κλιματικής κρίσης είναι πλέον  εντεινόμενες. Οι καύσωνες γίνονται πιο συχνοί και διαρκούν περισσότερο, οι ξηρασίες απειλούν σοβαρά τη γεωργική παραγωγή και τη διατροφική ασφάλεια, ενώ οι καταιγίδες αποκτούν ολοένα και πιο καταστροφική ένταση.

Η κλιματική κρίση, όμως, δεν μας πλήττει όλους το ίδιο. Οι πιο ευάλωτοι πληθυσμοί, όπως είναι οι φτωχότεροι, οι ηλικιωμένοι, τα παιδιά, υφίστανται τις σοβαρότερες συνέπειες, χωρίς να έχουν τα μέσα να προσαρμοστούν ή να προστατευτούν. H ανάγκη για άμεση ανταπόκριση δεν αφορά μόνο το περιβάλλον, αφορά τη ζωή, την υγεία, και την ασφάλεια όλων μας.

Το έργο του SolidarityNow

Για εμάς, η περιβαλλοντική δράση δεν είναι ξεχωριστή από την κοινωνική, είναι απόλυτα συνδεδεμένη με αυτήν. Αναγνωρίζοντας τις επιπτώσεις της κλιματικής κρίσης στους πιο ευάλωτους, δημιουργήσαμε την Ομάδα Ανταπόκρισης σε Κρίσεις, με στόχο να δρούμε έγκαιρα και ουσιαστικά εκεί όπου υπάρχει επείγουσα ανάγκη.

Η Ομάδα κινητοποιείται άμεσα στο πεδίο, παρέχοντας ανθρωπιστική βοήθεια και εξειδικευμένη υποστήριξη. Με συντονισμό και σε συνεργασία με τις τοπικές αρχές και τους κρατικούς μηχανισμούς, ενισχύει τις προσπάθειες ανακούφισης και στήριξης των πληγέντων από φυσικές καταστροφές.

Μέχρι σήμερα, έχει υλοποιήσει επτά (7) αποστολές σε περιοχές της Ελλάδας και του εξωτερικού, ανταποκρινόμενη σε καταστάσεις έκτακτης ανάγκης με ταχύτητα, ευαισθησία και αποτελεσματικότητα. Το 2023, βρεθήκαμε στη Θεσσαλία, λίγες μόλις ώρες μετά τις καταστροφικές πλημμύρες του “Daniel”, στηρίζοντας τους ανθρώπους που επλήγησαν σοβαρά από την έντονη κακοκαιρία. Την ίδια χρονιά, οργανώσαμε διεθνή αποστολή ανθρωπιστικής βοήθειας στην Τουρκία, μετά τον καταστροφικό σεισμό, ενισχύοντας τους πληγέντες σε μια από τις μεγαλύτερες φυσικές τραγωδίες των τελευταίων δεκαετιών.

Στην ίδια κατεύθυνση, το SolidarityNow, σε συνεργασία με τη UNICEF Greece, υλοποιεί το πιλοτικό πρόγραμμα «Child-Responsive Disaster Risk Reduction» που στοχεύει στην ανάπτυξη εξειδικευμένης τεχνογνωσίας και καλών πρακτικών για την προστασία των παιδιών στο πλαίσιο φυσικών και ανθρωπογενών καταστροφών. Στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος, το SolidarityNow συμβάλλει στην ενίσχυση της ετοιμότητας έξι (6) Δήμων στην Ελλάδα, με στόχο τη δημιουργία σχεδίων διαχείρισης κρίσεων που να ανταποκρίνονται στις ανάγκες των παιδιών.

Μέσα από ολιστικές και διατομεακές παρεμβάσεις, σχεδιασμένες ώστε να ανταποκρίνονται στις ανάγκες κάθε δήμου, το πρόγραμμα στοχεύει στην ενίσχυση της γνώσης και της ανθεκτικότητας των παιδιών σε καταστάσεις κρίσης, όπως επίσης και στην κατάρτιση και εξειδικευμένη υποστήριξη φορέων Πολιτικής Προστασίας, Κοινωνικών Υπηρεσιών, εκπαιδευτικών, συλλόγων γονέων και κηδεμόνων και φορέων Παιδικής Προστασίας ώστε να είναι σε θέση να ανταποκρίνονται με επάρκεια και ευαισθησία σε κατάστασης έκτακτης ανάγκης.

Μέσα από αυτή την πολυεπίπεδη προσέγγιση, ενισχύουμε τη συνοχή των τοπικών κοινωνιών, χτίζουμε μηχανισμούς προστασίας με κοινωνικό και παιδοκεντρικό προσανατολισμό και διασφαλίζουμε ότι κανένα παιδί δεν μένει απροστάτευτο.

Life in a new country is always full of surprises, discoveries, and a mix of pleasant and unpleasant events.

My name is Oleksandra, and I am Ukrainian.

About two years ago, trying to escape the war in my home country, I moved to Greece. This move was not only a significant change in my life but also a serious challenge.

At that time, I had just turned nineteen. I was planning to complete my university studies online while balancing daily responsibilities: taking care of my younger brothers, who needed attention and support, as well as dealing with bureaucratic complexities and other matters. This period demanded a lot of effort and, at the same time, taught me many important skills that will be valuable throughout my life.

After defending my dissertation and completing my university studies, it was finally time to take the next significant step: looking for a job. As a creative person with a degree in journalism, I have a deep passion for writing and editing texts. One of my biggest dreams is to publish my own book, so I decided to look for opportunities to kickstart my career.

Initially, my job search focused on Ukraine, particularly on online opportunities, as this seemed both natural and familiar. However, reality proved to be challenging.

After several months of job searching in Ukraine, during which I completed several test tasks, attended interviews, and sent out dozens of resumes, it became clear that finding a stable and promising job in Ukraine, especially online, was difficult. The war has significantly impacted the economy, leading many companies to scale back hiring. This situation prompted me to consider alternative options, so I shifted my focus to employment opportunities in Greece.

This was a big step because I still felt somewhat like a stranger despite living in Greece for two years. Additionally, there were notable obstacles. Firstly, due to my university studies, I hadn’t had enough time to master the Greek language to a sufficient level, which limited my job options and made the search process more complicated. Secondly, I was unfamiliar with the popular and effective job search platforms in Greece and unsure how to use them effectively. However, I realized that this was a normal part of adapting to life in a new country, so I decided to persevere.

Recognizing that handling all these challenges alone might be too difficult, I decided to seek support. While researching organizations that could help me adapt to life in Greece and find employment, I discovered the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow. This Center not only helps with job placement but also supports individuals in overcoming various life challenges. It provides services related to legal, social, and psychological issues and helps those in need across different aspects of life.

Initially, I felt a bit anxious and unsure of what to expect, but I decided to contact the organization and request a meeting with their employment counsellors. A few days later, the meeting took place. During the conversation, I received valuable and practical support. The employees of the Athens Solidarity Center listened carefully to my story, reviewed my resume, and guided me on the next steps. They explained which job search sites and platforms are most effective for beginners in Greece and helped me navigate the selection of positions available even with my limited knowledge of the language.

Moreover, they provided advice on portfolio design and tips on how to present my skills and achievements in the most attractive way to potential employers. This personalized support was incredibly important to me as it helped me gain confidence that my experience and skills were valuable and could be utilized in a new labor market.

Despite the difficulties and obstacles, I realized that with the right approach and support, achieving my goals is possible, even in challenging circumstances. My experience has taught me the importance of not being afraid to ask for help and seeking support while being open to learning new things.

The labor market in a new country can be confusing and complicated. However, with an understanding of the basic processes and tools available for job seekers, it is possible to find your place and begin a new chapter in your professional life.

*Since August 1st, 2023, the operation of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow is supported by the Swiss-Greek Cooperation Programme (Embassy of Switzerland in Greece) to reducing economic and social disparities in the EU and by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

**The Athens Solidarity Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.