The unemployment rate in Greece reached 9.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data released by the Greek Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).

The number of unemployed individuals stood at 449,123, marking a 4.8% increase compared to the previous quarter but an 8.1% decrease from the same period in 2023.

In the third quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate was recorded at 9.0%, while in the fourth quarter of the previous year, it had been higher, at 10.5%. Meanwhile, the total number of employed individuals in the country was 4,278,704, reflecting a 1.0% decline compared to the previous quarter.

The number of people outside the labor force—those who neither work nor seek employment—stood at 4,282,742. Among them, individuals under the age of 75 who are not part of the workforce numbered 3,050,938. This group saw a 0.7% increase compared to the previous quarter but a 2.4% decline year-on-year.

Employment Characteristics

During the fourth quarter of 2024, the majority of workers were salaried employees, accounting for 69.6% of total employment, while 19.7%, were self-employed without staff.

The rate of part-time employment stood at 5.6%, showing a notable decrease of 11.2% compared to the previous quarter and 23.8% compared to the same period the previous year.

Temporary employment accounted for 8.1% of the workforce, declining by 26.2% from the third quarter of 2024.

Occupational Trends

The largest share of the workforce was made up of professionals (22.8%) and service and sales workers (22.3%).

On the other hand, the most significant decline was recorded among unskilled laborers, manual workers, and small-scale tradespeople, with a 5.7% decrease.

Year-on-year, the most substantial employment growth was seen in industrial plant and machinery operators (11.2%), while the steepest decline was recorded among skilled agricultural workers, including farmers, livestock breeders, foresters, and fishers, whose numbers dropped by 8.6%.

Unemployment Characteristics

The primary reason cited for job loss among the unemployed was the expiration of fixed-term contracts, affecting 37.1% of job seekers. New entrants to the labor market—those who have never worked before—accounted for 20.2% of the unemployed.

Long-term unemployment, defined as job seekers who have been out of work for a year or more, stood at 53.5%, with the highest unemployment rates recorded in the South Aegean and Ionian Islands regions, while Crete reported the lowest rate.