Greece Dependent Employment vs EU Blue Card

Greece’s employee route choice usually starts with whether the role is ordinary dependent employment or highly qualified employment. The ordinary route is the E.4 dependent employment residence permit after an approved employer invitation. The EU Blue Card is the E.1 highly qualified employee residence permit.

For structured route records, see Greece Dependent Employment Residence Permit and Greece EU Blue Card. Remote workers should start with the Greece digital nomad visa guide, because that route is not Greek local employment.

Quick Answer

Use Greece’s EU Blue Card first where the role is highly qualified, the contract lasts at least 6 months, salary meets the Blue Card formula of 1.6x average gross annual salary in Greece, and qualification evidence is ready. The latest public EU Immigration Portal threshold signal checked for Greece is EUR 31,918.83/year, but the exact current filing threshold should be rechecked before submission.

Use the E.4 dependent employment route where the role is ordinary Greek full-time employment, the employer invitation has been approved, and the job does not fit the Blue Card salary, qualification, or mobility logic.

Route Snapshot

Issue	E.4 Dependent Employment	E.1 EU Blue Card
Main audience	Third-country nationals entering Greece for ordinary dependent employment	Highly qualified third-country employees
Entry basis	National visa for dependent employment after employer invitation approval	Uniform visa or visa-free entry under the current Mitos E.1 record; national-visa cases should be checked by consulate
Contract	At least 1 year, full-time	At least 6 months, highly qualified employment
Salary rule	At least monthly earnings of an unskilled worker	1.6x average gross annual salary in Greece
Current public salary signal	EUR 920/month minimum-wage signal from April 1, 2026	EUR 31,918.83/year public threshold signal from EU portal; recheck current Greek threshold
Qualification	Role-specific	Higher professional qualifications, or regulated-profession recognition evidence
Employer evidence	Approved invitation and employer capacity	Employer capacity, recruitment announcement, contract, and qualification fit
Processing	Mitos estimate: 50 to 80 days	90-day deadline; 30 days for recognized employers under Article 38
Family and mobility	National Greek route	Blue Card family, mobility, and EU long-term residence advantages can matter

Decision Tree

Starting Fact	Better First Route To Check
Role is highly qualified and salary meets the Blue Card formula	EU Blue Card
Qualification evidence is ready for the occupation	EU Blue Card
Employer has an approved invitation for ordinary dependent employment	E.4 dependent employment
Salary is below the Blue Card threshold	E.4 or another employment category, if conditions are met
Role is seasonal, fishing, artistic, posted, or technical-service work	Check the specific Greek category rather than assuming E.4
Worker is employed abroad and works remotely from Greece	Digital nomad route, not E.4 or Blue Card

Editorial Status

This article was checked against Mitos, gov.gr, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Migration and Asylum, and EU Immigration Portal sources on July 22, 2026. It is informational only and is not immigration, legal, tax, employment, payroll, recruitment, qualification-recognition, family, or relocation advice.