Greek-German Town Counselor Creates Immigration Guide to Germany

Many Greeks flee to Germany to find better job opportunities as a result of the financial crisis that devastates Greece, but that’s not new. What needs to be taken into serious consideration is that there are many fraud agencies in Greece that take advantage of young people by stealing their money while promising a secure job in Germany. That’s what town counselor of Solingen, Germany, Ioanna Zacharaki is denouncing in an interview with ana-mpa.

“Due to the financial crisis in Greece, the number of Greeks that arrive in Germany is increasing. I can only mention that 7,000 Greek men and women came to Germany in 2011 only to find better job opportunities ,“ Zacharaki points out , being the child of an immigrant family from Kalampaka herself.

“Many of our compatriots, however, come unprepared and therefore face difficulties in the end. They should keep in mind for starters, that without speaking German it’s hard or even impossible to find a job here. We also notice that several immigration agencies have been established in Greece, that promise a secure job in Germany to jobless Greeks in exchange for a great deal of money.”

Such phenomena have been reported in other federal states of Germany and resulted in the formation of the “Greek Institutions Network in Northern Rhine-Westphalia” last November. Various institutions participate in the network, such as the Greek communities of the area, Greek-Orthodox churches, cultural associations, the Greek-German Business Association (DHW), municipal counselors of Greek origins, volunteers and colleagues of the Diakonia Rhineland Westphalia Lippe.

The rich bilingual Guide offers valuable information regarding the accommodation, the language learning process, the job and residence search as well as details on educational and professional matters, social insurance, social services, social networks, etc.

The publication was funded by the Federal Ministry for Labor, Integration  and Social Affairs of the State of Northern Rhine-Westphalia and the Diakonia Rhineland Westphalia Lippe.

Copies of the guide are distributed by the Diakonia, the DHW Association, the Greek Community of Dusseldorf, including local social institutions of the Diakonia.