TIRANA, May 7/ATA/-Greece has begun to implement the procedure for seasonal workers.
Albania and Greece have recently reached an agreement on seasonal workers.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Greece this year has changed the legal framework for seasonal workers from third countries, not only Albanians, which is not exclusively connected with the Covid-19 virus.
For years, there has been a plan to organize seasonal work in agriculture because it was noticed that workers crossed the border as tourists and then were employed without social insurance, without taxes, without an official contract.
Thus, in the Emergency Normative Act for the situation caused by Covid-19, published on May 1 in the official gazette no. 90, Article 42 is included the new rule, which specifically states that:
-Until June 20, 2020, Greek employer farmers submit a special request to the relevant office of the Decentralized Administration for Immigration, with the data of the employee / workers (name / surname, citizenship, address in Albania and telephone) who want to get employed, with a photocopy of the passport and the Albanian-Greek border crossing point from which the worker will enter Greek territory attached.
-Employer farmers will pay a tax without refund of 100 Euros for every worker involved in the application.
-All employers, in addition to the application must complete a statement of responsibility to describe in detail the following data:
- a) The worker will be employed for at least 20 days after entering Greek territory.
- b) All social insurance will be accurately paid, according to Greek law
- c) the employee’s expenses for food and repatriation will be covered, as long as he / she does not have a residence permit, as provided in paragraph 3, Article 80, Greek law 3386/2005.
- d) All expenses of the employment contract will be covered, which this year due to the emergency situation cannot be closed in due time for the realization of the work plan.
- e) Safe shelter for the workmen will be provided.
- f) The type of work and the data of the employment contract are declared.
- g) This year the necessary note will be added, “I declare that they will be housed for how many days the mandatory quarantine will be determined, as well as that the test for the Covid-19 virus will be performed”.
Immediately after the file is submitted with these documents, the immigration offices in the Decentralized Administration of Greece will issue within two days the list of required workers, in all Border Control Directorates of the Greek Police to allow free entry of workers in the country.
Following, the Immigration Office sends the list to the relevant border crossings and seasonal workers, informed by the owners themselves, will cross the Greek border without having to obtain a visa or permit from the Greek consulates in Albania. The conditions of circulation in the Albanian territory up to the border point are set by the government of Albania./gj.m//a.a/p.s./
