(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
As uncertainty continues to surround Greece's financial future, a growing number of its citizens have been taking their chances overseas.
Melbourne has seen thousands of new arrivals who've sought help from family and friends to find work.
While some organisations have struggled under the strain, others say it's rejuvenated the Greek community.
Manny Tsigas reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Unemployed and facing what he calls a 'shameful situation' in Greece, Panayiotis Mitropoulos moved to Australia with his wife in 2013.
He's now working as a sub-contractor and regularly sends money back to his two children.
"Everything's a lot better. I live in a country where I get respected as a citizen and I respect the country back. I love it because it's helped me help my children back in Greece. Something I couldn't have done if I stayed behind."
It's been said Melbourne has the largest Hellenic population outside Greece.
Between 2012 and 2014 it received an even bigger boost with about 6,000 more arriving in Victoria alone.
60 per cent are Australia-born.
The remaining 40 per cent are Greek nationals who have simply run out of options in their homeland.
Bill Papastergiadis is the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne Victoria.
He describes Greece's situation in a single word: tragic.
"You have 60 per cent of people under the age of 28 who are unemployed. And the majority that are employed, their starting salary is probably no more than $180 a week. The prices of food and other day to day expenses are similar to here. You can imagine it's creating a lot of social dislocation."
But the surge has resulted in a few issues in Melbourne.
Theo Giourtis heads the Hellenic Australian Community Support Association, set up specifically to deal with the influx of arrivals.
"The first two years we had problems with furniture and housing. The Australian system requires references for employment which most don't have. They've got a problem, a big issue, with their English: most of them can't pass their English test."
Until now, the Australian Greek Welfare Society has been helping local families and elderly residents who struggle to make ends meet.
But over the past three years it's been under extreme pressure to keep up with the extra demand from the newest arrivals looking for work, food and shelter.
CEO Voula Messimeri says the Society will be receiving extra funding from the state government in the new financial year.
But not before some serious shuffling from her end.
"I have to admit that it has been very difficult. We've had to fundraise, we've had to go into cash reserves, as limited as they are for a welfare organisation such as this to respond to that need."
While the influx is challenging Melbourne's Greek population, it's also showing signs of rejuvenation.
Local organisations are seeing more Greeks rally to help these new arrivals in their time of need.
And with so many fluent Greek-speakers looking for work, sectors like hospitality, education and aged care are reaping the benefits.
In August, nursing home chain Fronditha signed a federal government deal to employ 60 full-time Greek nationals over three years.
Its CEO George Lekakis says it's resulted in a flood of eager bilingual workers caring for its mainly Greek-speaking residents.
"It was a good opportunity. Fortuitous one would say. Our workforce is ageing, we have a lot of Greek speakers who are in their post-50s, so we can't recruit locally born personal care workers. It doesn't seem to be a preferred career for many."
Vivi Michailidou has been working at Fronditha for three years.
The former sports teacher is now focused on making a better life for her young daughter - and she hasn't even considered returning to Greece.
(Translated)"The people are skeptical. They're upset by this situation and they don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. The truth is I'm not very optimistic."
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