Talent Visa:
An opportunity to attract highly-skilled talent to Greece
Talent Visa: An Opportunity to attract highly-skilled talent to Greece
The Talent Visa proposal offers a valuable opportunity for Greece to address its labor shortage by attracting skilled graduates from top global universities. It enables talent to enter Greece and explore career opportunities without needing a job offer, allowing them to contribute to sectors in need of skilled workers. This initiative has the potential to enhance Greece’s economy, drive innovation, and position the country as a competitive hub for talent in industries such as technology and research.
Proposal Overview
As Greece’s economy continues to grow at an impressive pace, a major challenge threatens to slow its momentum: a severe shortage of skilled workers, with over 40,000 job openings currently unfilled. To address this gap, the Deon Policy Institute proposes the Talent Visa, a forward-thinking initiative designed to attract recent graduates from the world’s top universities. By allowing individuals to enter Greece without a job offer, the visa provides the flexibility needed to explore opportunities and integrate into the workforce.
Key Benefits of the Talent Visa:
Bridging Critical Labor Gaps: Greece’s high-growth sectors, such as technology, healthcare, and renewable energy, urgently need skilled professionals to sustain their momentum. The Talent Visa ensures these roles are filled with capable individuals ready to contribute.
Fueling Economic Growth: Access to a global talent pool will accelerate expansion in industries that are vital to Greece’s future, supporting job creation and increasing economic output.
Driving Innovation: Welcoming top graduates will spark new ideas, startups, and patents, strengthening Greece’s reputation as a hub for creativity and entrepreneurship.
Enhancing Global Competitiveness: A steady influx of highly skilled workers will boost Greece’s appeal to foreign investors and foster a vibrant ecosystem of growth and opportunity.
This initiative doesn’t just aim to solve a labor shortage—it’s a long-term strategy to position Greece as a global talent magnet. By aligning with international best practices, the Talent Visa has the potential to transform Greece into an innovation powerhouse, creating lasting economic benefits for industries and citizens alike.
The Proposal
Talent Visa: An Opportunity to attract highly-skilled talent to Greece
Our Recommendations have been implemented:
In April 2024, the Ministry of Migration and Asylum announced its plans to introduce a Talent Visa, following Deon Policy Institute’s recommendations. The Talent Visa will be complemented by a Tech Visa, which will target founders, investors and talent for start-ups.
Project Contributors
President of Deon Policy Institute
Executive Director of Deon Policy Institute
Treasurer of Deon Policy Institute/VP Customer Success at Hack the Box
Acknowledgments
Panagiotis Karampinis
Managing Director of Endeavor Greece
Manolis Zacharakis
Zepos & Yannopoulos law firm
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Economic Openness requires International Talent
by Petros Perselis
Kathimerini - April 17, 2024
Following a challenging economic period, Greece has shown remarkable resilience, achieving significant growth rates of 8.4% in 2021 and 5.9% in 2022. Recognizing the need for skilled labor, Deon Policy Institute partnered with Endeavor Greece to recommend the introduction of a "Talent Visa." The Ministry of Migration and Asylum recently announced that it is planning to introduce this visa which targets recent graduates from top global universities, offering a one-year stay to explore opportunities without immediate employment commitments, aiming to integrate them into the Greek economy. However, in order for this visa to be successful, it needs to be paired with a well-coordinated marketing campaign.