I am from Syria. I am 38 years old, and I have been in Greece for 15 years. In 2013 I managed to get paper for humanitarian aid lasting 6 months. I now have a residence permit since 2019, but I got it with great difficulty.
When I arrived in Greece, I easily found a job through my fellow countrymen, because we could communicate in our own language. In the beginning I worked as a laborer. Later, when I learned Greek, I started working in an aluminum store and today I am in charge of the shop. Most jobs available are manual. When there is work every day, I live comfortably. I have not experienced discrimination in salary. When I had no legal documents, I had no help or benefits. When I had humanitarian aid, the only right I had was to work and have health insurance. At first I also had access to unemployed rights, but in 2017 this law was repealed.
When I didn’t have papers, the health system accepted me. In an emergency, even though I told them I had no papers and no insurance, they welcomed me because of the seriousness of the situation. When I first arrived, I couldn’t communicate and my cousin, who had already been in Greece for years, was helping me. Today I have no complaints from the system. When I didn’t have papers, because I have diabetes and I need insulin, I was getting help from MSF. Today, having insurance, I get my medication through the system.
I have the right to continue my education in schools, but I was never interested and did not look for it.
I found a house through acquaintances. At first I lived with my cousin. Through my experiences and the help of my acquaintances, I learned how to manage a house. Sometimes there were problems with renting, because the owners did not want to rent their house to immigrants.
Sick people who cannot work should get state help. There must be help with housing and finding work. There must be facilitation in obtaining documents. But the biggest problem migrants face is language. Greek society, in general, embraces immigrants. It is necessary to have organizations that lobby for the rights of migrants, because many do not know how to claim them. In general, more help is needed in all areas. Since we live in Greece and have our legal documents, we must participate in the social and political life of the country. It is our right but also our obligation. I feel that I can contribute to the country through my work, provide free services to people in need and facilitate their daily lives.
