Residence permit applications in Northern Greece reach 33,776 in 2025
Authorities in Northern Greece processed 33,776 residence permit applications from third-country nationals in 2025, according to newly released data from the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace, highlighting the region's growing dependence on foreign labor and sustained interest from international investors.
The figures, covering the period 2021–2025, show that application volumes in 2025 remained close to the five-year average. Approximately 70% of applications concerned permit renewals, while 27% involved new residence permits.
Selanik Dominates Residence Permit Demand
More than half of all applications (53.2%) were submitted in Selanik, confirming the city's role as Northern Greece's primary destination for foreign workers, investors, and long-term residents.
Other regions with significant application volumes included Chalkidiki, Kavala, Pella, Imathia, Pieria, Serres, Kilkis, Drama, İskeçe, Meriç, and Rhodope.
Albanians Remain Largest Foreign Community
Albanian nationals accounted for 67.2% of all residence permit applicants, maintaining their position as the largest foreign community in Northern Greece.
They were followed by citizens of Georgia (6.9%), Russia (4.1%), Türkiye (3.3%), Armenia (2.5%), Pakistan (1.7%), China (1.5%), Ukraine (1.4%), Serbia (1.3%), and Egypt (1%).
Family reunification and employment permits represented the most common categories. The majority of permit holders were employed in dependent labor positions, seasonal agricultural work, and fisheries-related occupations.
Agricultural and Tourism Sectors Rely on Foreign Workers
A key category of applications involved labor recruitment from non-EU countries to address workforce shortages in agriculture, tourism, and other seasonal industries.
In Thessaloniki alone, 1,015 requests for foreign worker recruitment were submitted in 2025, with 893 approved.
Across the 12 regional units of Central and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, employers submitted 5,894 applications for foreign workers. The highest demand came from the agricultural regions of Pella, Imathia, and Chalkidiki, where seasonal labor shortages remain acute.
Authorities reported that demand for foreign workers peaks between May and August, with application numbers during that period doubling those recorded in other parts of the year.
Pella led all regions with 1,619 agricultural labor requests, followed by Imathia (1,059), Chalkidiki (790), Kavala (448), Selanik (354), and Pieria (202).
Overall, 4,198 employers across Northern Greece sought to recruit workers from third countries in 2025, with agricultural laborers representing the largest category.
Golden Visa Applications Ease After 2024 Peak
Applications for Greece's Golden Visa program and permanent residence permits declined slightly in 2025 following a record year in 2024. However, demand remained significantly higher than levels recorded between 2021 and 2023.
Thessaloniki accounted for the overwhelming majority of Golden Visa applications in Northern Greece.
The highest monthly volume was recorded in December 2024, when 233 Golden Visa applications were submitted across the region's 12 administrative units.
Turkish Nationals Lead Golden Visa Demand
Turkish citizens continued to dominate Golden Visa applications in Northern Greece.
Between 2021 and 2025, Thessaloniki recorded 869 Golden Visa applications from Turkish nationals, followed by applicants from Israel (248) and Russia (187).
Turkish investors also represented the largest applicant group in several other regional units, including Kavala, İskeçe, Rhodope, Drama, Kilkis, and Meriç.
Across Northern Greece, Turkish nationals were the largest group seeking residence through investment programs, followed by citizens of Russia, Israel, Serbia, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Armenia, China, Iran, and the United States.
Authorities Emphasize Compliance and Transparency
Dimitris Galamatis, Secretary-General of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace, stated that residence permit procedures remain subject to rigorous legal scrutiny despite staffing constraints and growing application volumes.
According to Galamatis, authorities have strengthened verification procedures over the past five years to ensure that foreign nationals seeking employment, permanent residence, or business opportunities in Greece fully comply with legal requirements.
He emphasized that maintaining transparency, protecting the integrity of the process, and ensuring strict adherence to immigration laws remain key priorities for the administration.
The latest figures underscore the increasingly important role of foreign workers and investors in supporting Northern Greece's labor market, agricultural production, tourism sector, and regional economic development.
