NEWS

Migrants still lack social security

Most foreign immigrants living in Greece are content with their work conditions and have no desire to leave the country, but over a fifth of all migrant workers have no social security, according to a survey made public yesterday. The survey of migrant workers by MRB Hellas pollsters found that 94 percent of all respondents were generally happy with their work, although a sizable proportion expressed fears that they would have difficulty finding new employment should they lose their jobs. Some 53 percent said they did not intend to leave Greece for another Western country, while the most popular alternative destination was the USA (17 percent), followed by Italy (9.7 percent), Germany (8.4 percent) and Britain (7.8 percent). However, some 22 percent still have no social security. Among those who do, most are insured with the state Social Security Foundation (IKA). One of the latter group is Elena, 37, from Moldova. «In Moldova, I worked as a nurse and I would like to do that in Athens too, if I could,» she told Kathimerini. «For the time being, I clean houses, as I have not yet found a way to go after what really interests me. My life is definitely better in Greece, despite the fact that I work 12 hours a day. The pay is satisfactory, I have IKA insurance and I have not met any really nasty people.» The survey found that over 48 percent of respondents work eight-hour shifts, while 6.4 percent spend over 12 hours a day at work. The largest single professional group identified was construction workers (23 percent) – most of whom are Albanians. Some 17 percent were unemployed. Most Africans and Arabs were street vendors or shopowners, while the majority of Eastern Europeans worked as domestic help.

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