INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY 2025
Read GFMs Press Release regarding this years Worlds Migrants Day 2025:
PRESS RELEASE
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY - 18TH DECEMBER 2025
«Social integration in constant waiting – Migrant Communities create, participate and contribute, but still wait»
This International Migrants Day 2025, finds Greece with hundreds of thousands of people living, working, raising families and actively participating in the country`s social and economic life. And yet, social integration remains on hold, along with residence permits, asylum and basic human rights.
According to the most recent available data, there are currently approximately 518,194* third-country nationals living in the country with residence permits, while 290,097 of them are in the process of renewing or issuing their residence permit, with the waiting period often exceeding 4 years.
Behind these numbers there are people who work, pay taxes and social security contributions, and support entire sectors of the Greek economy — in agriculture, construction, tourism, catering, care services etc.
Waiting to renew or issue a residence permit has become a chronic problem. Delays do not just affect people administratively — they are blocking their lives: in employment and insurance, access to health and social benefits, transactions with public services and banks, freedom of movement.
Thus, people who are fully integrated into the social and economic life of the country are at risk at any time of finding themselves outside the system, through no fault of their own, due to bureaucratic delays and administrative deadlocks.
Social integration cannot be based solely on the resilience of people. It requires political responsibility, stable procedures and respect for the everyday lives of thousands of families. Because the contribution of migrants is the foundation of our society. Migrant men and women: keep the primary sector alive, support tourism and construction activity, meet critical needs in the care sector and strengthen public revenues and social security funds.
Their presence is not temporary. It is a structural part of our society and economy. Yet, at the same time, delays in renewals of residence permits, obstacles to asylum and the criminalization of migration in Greece and Europe undermine in practice every concept of integration, inclusion and social integration. Even today, social integration is mainly based on: the migrant communities themselves, their organizations, civil society. The State continues to be absent from the core of integration.
The demands of this year`s World Migrants Day are clear:
- Immediate acceleration of the issuance and renewal of residence permits
- Stable, transparent and fair legalization system
- Full access to work, health and social security
- Real social integration and inclusion in action, not just in words
- Decriminalization of migration and access to safe passages
Without a stable system of residence permits, without rapid processing of asylum applications, without equal rights, without institutional recognition and support for migrant organizations and associations, social integration is just a word and not a reality.
Athens, December 18th, 2025
Greek Forum of Migrants - GFM **
* According to data from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum concerning posted data up to October 2025 and retrieved from the Ministry`s website on 10/12/2025
** Members of the GFM are:
AFRICA:
Association of Cameroonians of Greece
Congolese Community in Greece
Congolese Community Brazaville
Ethiopian Socio-cultural Center "Aithiops"
Ethiopian Workers Union in Greece
Ghanaian Community in Greece
Gambian Community in Greece
Union of Guinea of Greece
Kenyan Community in Greece (KCG)
Nigerian Women Organisation of Greece
Nigerian Community of Greece
Association of Senegalese of Athens DIAMM AK TERANGA
Union of Sierra Leonese
Tanzanian Community in Greece
Zanzibar Community in Greece
Burundian Community in Greece
Communauté ivoirienne de la Grèce
African Network in Greece
United African Women Organization Greece
ASIA:
Afghan Migrants & Refugees Community in Greece
Bangladesh Community in Greece
Pakistan Community in Greece
Greek Pakistan Association of Greece
Pakistan Journalists Association of Greece
EASTERN EUROPE:
Albanian Community in Greece
Albanian Women Association in Greece
Georgian Cultural Center "Caucasus"
Greek Georgian Union "Dioskouria"
Community "Ukraine-Greek Thinking"
Ukrainian Community `The land of stork`
Ukrainian Diaspora in Greece
Support and promotion center of cultural heritage `Trembita`
Ukrainian Cultural-Educational Centre "Berejinia"
Ukrainian Women Union
MIDDLE EAST:
Egyptian Community in Greece "El Rapta"
Palestinian Workers Union in Greece
Somali Community in Greece
Greek Sudanese Frienship League
Sudanese Community
Syrian House in Greece
OTHER NETWORKS:
Network for Migrant Woman "Dimitra"
PIGI Koinsep (Turkey)
ELAHE PENHAN (Women from Iran and Afghanistan)
Mahdia Cultural Center
LGBTQI+ Refugee Group
The Greek Forum of Migrants - GFM was founded by migrants, for migrants. It has operated as an association for more than 23 years now, and is the largest network of migrant and refugee organizations and communities in Greece (44 member-communities from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia). Until today, our vision remains a challenge: We vision a society where migrants and refugees have equal rights & enjoy fair treatment, they interact and cooperate with the Greek citizens in terms of mutual respect, making diversity a source of growth and progress for all. We demand daily the equal labor & social integration of migrants and refugees living in the country.
