Sharing about the Vietnamese community in Greece

While not as large as in other European countries, the Vietnamese community in Greece has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. Estimates suggest that there are currently around 2,800 Vietnamese people living and working in Greece, primarily concentrated in the capital city of Athens and major tourist islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete.

Sharing about the Vietnamese community in Greece

A Brief History of the Community

The Vietnamese community in Greece began to form in the 1970s, mainly consisting of students and migrant workers. Following Vietnam’s economic reforms and integration into the global market, the number of Vietnamese people migrating to Greece for work and residency steadily increased. Since 2010, the Vietnamese community has grown substantially, with many members establishing their own businesses and successfully integrating into local society.

Occupational Landscape

Hầu hết người Việt tại Hy Lạp làm việc trong các ngành dịch vụ như nhà hàng, khách sạn, du lịch, làm nail, cắt tóc,… Một số người mở cửa hàng kinh doanh riêng, chủ yếu là bán đồ lưu niệm, thực phẩm Việt Nam.

Community Activities

The Vietnamese community in Greece is quite united and often organizes gatherings, exchanges experiences, and supports each other. Some Vietnamese associations have been established, such as the Vietnamese Association in Greece, the Vietnamese Business Association in Greece, etc., to connect the community and protect the rights of Vietnamese people.

Common Difficulties Faced by Vietnamese People When Moving to Greece

The Vietnamese community in Greece also faces some difficulties such as:

• Language Barriers: Greek is quite difficult to learn, making it difficult to communicate and integrate into local society.
• Cultural Differences: Greek culture is different from Vietnamese culture, leading to some difficulties in adaptation.
• Discrimination: Some Vietnamese people face discrimination in employment and life.

However, the Vietnamese community in Greece is growing and integrating well into local society. With their own efforts and the support of the community, Vietnamese people in Greece will have a better and more successful life.

Where is the largest Vietnamese community settled in Greece?

Vietnamese people settle the most in the capital city of Athens, Greece. According to estimates, there are about 2,000 Vietnamese people living and working in Athens, making up the majority of the Vietnamese community in Greece.

Reasons why many Vietnamese people settle in Athens:

• Athens is the economic, cultural and tourism center of Greece, with many job opportunities for Vietnamese people in the service industries such as restaurants, hotels, tourism, etc.
• The Vietnamese community in Athens is quite large and developed, helping newly arrived Vietnamese people to integrate easily and receive support.
• Athens is a modern city with full facilities for living, education, healthcare, etc., meeting the living needs of Vietnamese people.

In addition to Athens, Vietnamese people also settle in other cities in Greece such as:

• Thessaloniki: The second largest city in Greece, with many job opportunities in the industrial and commercial sectors.
• Crete: The largest island in Greece, attracting many Vietnamese people to work in the tourism industry.
• Santorini: A famous tourist island with beautiful natural scenery, attracting many Vietnamese people to work in the tourism service industry.

Should Vietnamese people settle in Greece?

Whether or not Vietnamese people should settle in Greece depends on many factors, including:

Purpose of settlement:

• Work: Greece has many job opportunities for Vietnamese people in the service, tourism, and industrial sectors. However, the average salary in Greece is relatively low compared to other European countries.
• Study: Greece has a high-quality education system with many prestigious universities. The cost of studying in Greece is relatively reasonable.
• Long-term settlement: Greece is a safe country with a good living environment, a mild climate, and a reasonable cost of living, with many preferential policies for foreigners. Greece has a Golden Visa program that allows foreign investors to purchase real estate worth €250,000 or more to obtain permanent residency for themselves and their families.

Economic conditions:

• Visa: Vietnamese people need to apply for a visa to enter Greece. The type of visa required depends on the purpose of settlement (work, study, tourism, long-term settlement).
• The cost of living in Greece is relatively reasonable compared to other European countries. However, Vietnamese people need to have some savings to cover the cost of living during their first few months in the country.
• The average salary in Greece is relatively low compared to other European countries. Vietnamese people need to have good skills and English proficiency to earn a high salary.

Ability to integrate:

• Greece has a fairly large and developed Vietnamese community, which makes it easy for new Vietnamese people to integrate. However, Vietnamese people need to learn Greek to communicate and integrate better into local society.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of settling in Greece:

Advantages:

• Safe living environment and mild climate.
• Reasonable cost of living.
• Many preferential policies for foreigners.
• The Vietnamese community is quite large and developed.

Disadvantages:

• Average salary is relatively low.
• Language difficulties.
• Difficulty finding a job.

In conclusion, whether or not Vietnamese people should immigrate to Greece depends on many factors. Vietnamese people need to carefully consider the above factors before making a decision.

Conclusion

The number of Vietnamese people immigrating to Greece is increasing. The reason is that Greece has a safe living environment, a mild climate, a reasonable cost of living, and many preferential policies for foreigners.