Greece to legalise papers for thousands of migrants to counter labour shortage

Greek olive farmers have voiced alarm about the prospect of reduced pickings because of the labour shortage. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters

Thousands of migrants are to have their papers legalised in Greece as part of efforts to curb an acute labour shortage that is hitting key sectors of an otherwise resurgent economy.

In a move that has thrown his centre-right party into turmoil, the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, pushed through legislation on Tuesday regularising the status of about 30,000 unregistered labourers.