Naveed und Adil

from Pakistan pick olives in Greece.

“They need us, but they won’t give us papers.”

“The pigeons have no problems with papers.”

“I reassure my family: No worries, it will only take a few months before I’ll get papers… It’s been going on like this for 8 years.”

In the olive region around Kalamata, around 15,000 harvest workers are needed every year. There are no local workers available. The harvest is mainly done by people from Pakistan and Bangladesh, most of whom don’t have residence papers or contracts. There is a regular threat of arrests. 

In December 2023 the Greek government voted for a law legalizing about 30.000 migrants that can prove that they have been living and working in Greece for three years.