Greek and Australia ratified a Work and Holiday visa agreement for young adults temporarily working or even just visiting both nations but the Greek government has yet to ratify the agreement. The visa program needs to be signed by seven ministers from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, National Economy, Health, Labor, Education and Development before it can go into effect.

Greek Australians are growing impatient with the pase of the visa agreement. Victorian Federal MP Maria Vamvakinou who participated in the visa’s introduction with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kostas Tsiaras last year said that the delay is questionable and wonders why the Greek government is stalling and how committed it is to enforcing the new visa. Other members of the Greek community in Australia say they are “dismayed and disappointed.”

“There is a ratifiction process that is continuing, and we, the embassy have asked the competent authorities to expedite the process as soon as possible,” says Greek Ambassador to Australia Haris Dafaranos.