In continuation of our struggle throughout the previous period in the face of the unacceptable special purpose visa regime, both with our mobilizations in the Parliament and at the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, we managed on Monday 18 November to have a meeting with relevant officials of the Ministry, with the presence of colleagues from SETIP, the Union of Employees at Teleperformance, the Union of Employees at Webhelp, as well as fellow lawyers and the President of the Union of Employees of the Decentralized Administration of Attica.

At the meeting all the problems that concern colleagues from countries outside the EU, were raised, such as the renewal of residence permits, the excessive delays in issuing permits and appointments for biometric data, the difficulties in receiving the benefits provided (DYPA), the huge problem with the effective denial of family reunification, especially with the ambiguities and confusion about the recent changes in the law regarding the abolition of the special purpose visa. Ministry officials acknowledged the problems and provided the following clarifications:

• New changes to the law are being proposed in the near future in order to improve the outstanding issues. Among other things, the intention was expressed to broaden the relevance of the professions in which work is permitted under the colleague’s dispensing permit scheme.
• New digital procedures are being promoted to automate the renewal of residence permits, with the official identification of tax and insurance information.
• The renewal of the residence permit of colleagues requires only tax and insurance information (stamps) and does not require the presentation of a work contract.
• Delays in appointments for fingerprinting are due to staff shortages and the need to simplify procedures.
• A promise was made to issue regulations to the relevant departments so that the statutory allowances provided for by law are paid to all colleagues entitled to them, in particular unemployment and maternity allowances from the DYPA.
• The Ministry is in discussions with the relevant Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address problems at the Greek embassies for the approval of family reunification. It was clarified that those who have submitted papers for residence permit before 04/24 have the right to family reunification, while those who have received their permit afterwards will have this right after two years in Greece.

Colleagues, the commitments made by the Ministry prove that our struggle and the pressure exerted by the Ministry is bringing results! We are not complacent! It is clear that until any commitment is put into practice we remain vigilant!

We are on the alert to be able to achieve even more substantial changes in the next two months when the law will be changed again.

All united, no one alone! We are many we are right, we will