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Greece has begun implementing a bilateral labor agreement with Egypt that will permit the entry of up to 5,000 seasonal agricultural workers, as the country seeks to mitigate ongoing labor shortages in its rural economy, according to local media reports on Tuesday.
The agreement, signed in November 2022, has recently moved into the operational phase following delays in execution. Under its provisions, Egyptian nationals will be recruited for legal seasonal employment in agricultural activities across multiple regions of Greece.
Speaking to AMNA News Agency, Christos Giannakakis, a member of the board of directors of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, confirmed that the process is now underway. He stated that approximately 150 candidate workers have already been submitted to Greece’s regional authorities.
Giannakakis also noted that more than 36 employers have already expressed interest in participating in the program, adding that the initial quota of 5,000 workers could be increased if labor demand requires additional supply.
Greece has faced persistent labor shortages in its agricultural sector, particularly in rural areas, driven by long-term demographic decline and large-scale emigration during the country’s financial crisis between 2009 and 2019. The shortage has increasingly affected seasonal agricultural production, placing pressure on both employers and output.
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