The government is attempting to be asylum in the labor market, among other things, with the law on the legal immigration presented to the Cabinet, according to the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris.

The minister also says that the government’s intention is to create two types of structures where people who are entitled to asylum and people who are not asylum. At the same time, it refers to the facilities included in the bill to attract highly specialized people but also on the new basis on which discussions on bilateral agreements on third countries on legal immigration will take place.

Following is the entire interview of the Minister of Immigration and Asylum at the Athens and Macedonian News Agency and journalist Faye Doulgeris.

RES-EIA: What is the philosophy that governs the law on legal immigration?

Thanos Plevris: “The philosophy of the new bill is based on three levels. First, the pending licenses that may be able to complete as soon as possible. There are currently over 290,000 pending licenses. Secondly, through the invocation we can open corridors of legal immigration as legal immigration actually enables us to control who comes, for how long they come and how to return. And the third part is about exploiting those who get asylum and instead of getting privileges and benefits to enter the job market. The message will be very simple or you work or leave. “

RES-EIA: What are the changes brought about by the new bill on legal immigration from the previous one?

Thanos Plevris: “In fact the bill is based on a 2023 law that operated and is trying to correct some problems that were shown along the way. It is not going to make a huge change in the part of philosophy but more to improve and reduce bureaucratic processes. “

RES-EIA: Is it foreseen to introduce new visa categories?

Thanos Plevris: “In fact, new national considerations are foreseen so that we can easily attract high -specific people in our country as well as greatly facilitate the opportunity for those who want to come to study not to have the embankments that existed. Therefore, we are trying to give the opportunity, easily to come to the country as long as it meets the strict conditions. “

RES-EIA: How do bilateral agreements on the attraction of legal immigrants to cover jobs?

Thanos Plevris: “We are in a constant understanding of new bilateral agreements but also to strengthen those that exist. Indeed, for the first time with the countries we are discussing, we put as a key factor that they will operate in the light that we will work with them to tackle illegal immigration. That is to say, when you work with Egypt to get immigrants from bilateral cooperation, there will also be cooperation on the other side, those who have illegally entered Egypt to return immediately. “

RES-EIA: With the new law on legal immigration they are directed to the labor market and those who have received asylum. How many are they and how are the country expected to benefit themselves?

Thanos Plevris: “What we want to achieve is our structures to work in a different way. Until now, there were people who were entitled to asylum and were not entitled to asylum in the same structures. We want to separate this. There are structures for those whose profile does not justify asylum, so they will be in detention and risk being in prison with the new, rigorous framework for illegal immigration. So the ability they have will be the return. In the other part of the structures, we have a pilot basis who will receive asylum and now you will prepare them, that if you are to stay in the country you will not have benefits that you have used to and pay for Europe, but you will be given an opportunity to work where we need it and you will be absorbed. The message is clear. Anyone who gets asylum to stay in Greece should work. At the same time, it is very important to change the asylum procedures so that asylum is really taken by only those who are really entitled to it. The direction is, then, illegal immigration has no way out of return, legal immigration is facilitated by procedures. Those who take asylum take it on a stricter criteria and do not benefit from benefits but enter the job market. “

RES-EIA: What does this mean for structures in the country?

Thanos Plevris: “This means in fact that the structures will now acquire features based on the profile of the guests they will have. Mostly, we can take advantage of this in the provincial structures where there is a need for workforce specifically for agricultural work, constructions and other more tourism tourism for tourism, so that the local community does not see that some immigrants are simply accommodated, but instead have been chosen to go there. In this way, we solve a piece of workers’ hands from those who receive asylum and drastically reduce the benefits. “

RES-EIA: Are there procedures that are simplified to reduce bureaucracy?

Thanos Plevris: “Yes, we mainly aim for the part of the decentralized administrations and the ability to safely renew automatically. We intervene so that no expired licenses are given. That is, when a license is given it will have a minimum time so that we do not have the problem being obtained and expire after a while or to be expired and discussing with the Foreign Ministry any interventions that may be made in the consulates to accelerate the process. “