Precarious jobs for many foreigners at call centers

Seven out of 10 workers at call centers in Greece are from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa.

They obtain visas easily but they are kept on a short leash, often on monthly contracts, and their "special purpose visas" mean that as soon as the contracts expire, they must return to their country. The visas also only allow them to work either for the company that hired them or others in the same sector.

"I felt trapped," one Tunisian woman who has worked in Greece since the end of 2020 told Kathimerini. She had been enticed by a friend working a similar job in Greece and was elated to obtain her visa in half a day. The uncertain reality hit hard when she arrived.

A change to the visa status demands five years of uninterrupted work at call centers, a condition few are able to meet. Working conditions vary by employer, with some not even allowing toilet breaks...