What Is the Unemployment Rate in Greece?

Unemployment rates offer insight into a nation’s economic health and its labor market dynamics. Understanding these figures is important for evaluating economic performance and the well-being of a country’s workforce. This article explores the unemployment situation in Greece, providing an overview of its current status, historical context, demographic disparities, and how it compares to other European nations.

Current Unemployment Figures in Greece

Greece’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.9% in May 2025, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). This figure represents a decrease from 8.3% recorded in April 2025.

The unemployment rate in March 2025 was 9%, which was a slight increase from 8.6% in February 2025. Despite this monthly fluctuation, the overall trend indicates a notable improvement compared to the 10.8% seen in March 2024.

Historical Trends and Context

Greece’s unemployment rate has experienced significant shifts over the past two decades, particularly influenced by the sovereign debt crisis. The country reached an all-time high unemployment rate of 28.3% in July 2013, a period when the economy faced severe challenges. This peak was a direct consequence of the extensive economic downturn that began around 2009.

The years between 2012 and 2014 saw unemployment rates consistently above 27%, severely impacting a large portion of the population. Before this crisis, in May 2008, Greece had recorded a much lower unemployment rate of 7.3%, highlighting the drastic change brought about by the economic turmoil. Since the crisis’s peak, Greece has been on a general downward trajectory, with the unemployment rate gradually decreasing over the past decade.

Key Demographic and Sectoral Insights

Unemployment in Greece shows variations across different population groups. Youth unemployment, specifically for the 15-24 age group, remains a significant concern, standing at 19.9% in May 2025. While this rate has improved from a peak of 59.5% in the first quarter of 2013, it continues to be more than double the national average.

Gender disparities persist within the labor market. In March 2025, the unemployment rate for women was 11.7%, while for men it was 6.9%. Regarding long-term unemployment, defined as individuals without work for 12 months or more, Greece reported a rate of 5.3% in the first quarter of 2025. This figure reflects the proportion of the active labor force experiencing prolonged joblessness.

An analysis of sectoral distribution in the fourth quarter of 2024 revealed that professionals, along with service and sales workers, constituted the largest segments of the workforce. Conversely, the number of unskilled laborers, manual workers, and small-scale tradespeople saw a 5.7% decline in employment. There was a notable 11.2% increase in employment for industrial plant and machinery operators, while skilled agricultural workers, including farmers and fishers, experienced an 8.6% drop in their numbers.

International Comparisons

In June 2025, the Eurozone’s average unemployment rate was 6.2%, and the wider European Union (EU) average was 5.9%. Greece’s May 2025 rate of 7.9% is above these averages.

For comparison, Germany, a prominent Eurozone economy, reported a much lower unemployment rate of 3.7% in June 2025. Spain, another Mediterranean country, had an unemployment rate of 10.9% in June 2025, which was higher than Greece’s current figure. Portugal’s unemployment rate was 6.4% in 2024, also lower than Greece’s.