Greece's Minister of Labour and Social Security, Domna Michailidou, announced that in order to tackle labour exploitation the Independent Authority - Hellenic Labour Inspectorate has increased its inspections in workplaces where third-country nationals (TCNs) are employed.

Some businesses have already been issued with fines, and further checks are planned on businesses that: 

• operate on a seasonal basis;
• have been checked in the past and need to be re-checked;
• employ TCNs on a temporary basis;
• are in the technical and construction sector. 

An inter-ministerial technical working group has also been set up between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum to focus on the recruitment of workers through bilateral agreements with third countries, and the social integration of migrants and refugees residing in Greece. The group is working on methods, actions and programmes aimed at the social integration of migrants and refugees, and has already discussed:

• the extension of vocational training programmes for TCNs; 
• the establishment of special vocational training schools for migrants and refugees; 
• ensuring access for migrants and refugees to apprenticeship programmes;
• taking measures to address technical issues such as the issuance of AMKA (social security registration number) and AMA (social insurance number).