Around 11,000 Indians living in Greece

ATHENS, Dec. 7 (IPS) - Immigration and dealing with migrant workers has perennially been a problem for countries across Europe, but nowhere more than in Greece. Huge problems remain unsolved while the country attempts to match the requirements of EU law.

Among the new workers coming in are several from India. The interior ministry estimates their number to be around 11,000.

"Indian people have contributed to Greece and they are good workers, but many are employed in the black economy where they have no rights and have no access to pensions and social security," Maghar Gandhi, president of the Greek-Indian Cultural Association told IPS.

"There is suffering, only about 60 to 70 percent have entitlement to social security, and just 30 percent have families here now."

A slow bureaucracy means progress comes at a snail-like pace, he said. Typically Indians are recruited legally, but after the initial six-month permit has expired, many are left with 'no man's land' status, he said.

"The main problem is the paperwork, some have been waiting for over five years to gain residence permits, and there is also a huge fee of about 900 Euros."

Most workers from the Indian subcontinent work in the agriculture sector, which accounts for 10 percent of the gross national income (GNI). Invariably, they are poorly paid and work in difficult conditions.