The definition of migration policy is the cornerstone of the policy defined by each government in the modern era of globalization and international mobility. Greece has the largest number of immigrants among the EU countries compared to its population and the economic situation of the country.

Although Greece has adopted one of the most progressive laws on asylum in Europe, as acknowledged by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, problems remain and are located – above all – in unemployment and social security subject.

In Greece, the institutional framework for the conduct of immigration policy as supplemented by Law. 3838/2010 not only denies the opportunity of regularization of immigrants but also retains the logic of legal migration through complex transnational processes. These result to a migration admission policy that only aims to the absolute state control of flows in terms of meeting the demand for specialties that are not sufficiently available in the domestic labor market, while accepting the need for a one-off regularization of migrants that are already in Greece.

The fact that both the state apparatus and local authorities have not yet completed the infrastructure, human resources and knowledge required in such a mobilization management, is an obstacle to any reform policy undertaken. This means that the response of migrants to the practitioner migration policy is positive, whereas the administrative environment does not achieve high levels of effective operation. Impressive is the fact that even the individual responsible for the Ministry of Immigration does not know the exact number of immigrants who are in the country.

In the Evangelical Church with migrant communities

IMPARTIALITY – AWARENESS – COOPERATION

The migration policy of Greece requires a fundamental realignment focusing on the following areas:

• Need for conservation of the mechanisms which guarantee the objective and impartial view of asylum applications.
• Specialization of personnel involved to the competent authorities; either these that consider or decide on asylum requests.
• Strengthening provisions concerning the method of service of the decision to the refugees, in order to adequately safeguard their right to judicial protection if recognized as political refugees.
• Complete management of migratory flows, which will balance the inputs for humanitarian and economic reasons, combating the illegal entry; especially the entry through illegal channels.
• Fair treatment of third country citizens who live and work in EU countries.
• Cooperation with countries of origin to regulate migration flows.
• Long quest for a common policy regarding political asylum.
• Enlargement of the European Union with ten new member-states which will favor the migration to EU countries.
• Family reunion, which is the most important form of migration influx in the European Union.
• Joint division of costs between member states.
• Unified management of external borders, the establishment of a European border guard
• Socio-economic integration of immigrants, which requires policies (employment, vocational training, social protection, migrant education) involving both immigrants and the host societies.
• Organization and operation of educational institutions, in the sense that education combined to family is a basic socialization factor.
• Cooperation with migrants’ countries of origin, in the sense of providing financial assistance, for the purpose in the long term to eliminate the conditions that favor migration and control of illegal immigration and refugee movement.
• Combating illegal immigration and cooperation with third countries.

Greece agrees with the provision-economic assistance for developing the necessary structures in third countries to reduce illegal immigration.