Job vacancies in Greece surged by 58.8% in the second quarter of 2024, according to data released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). This sharp increase highlights a pressing issue for the Greek economy regarding labor shortages.
Specifically, ELSTAT published the results of its Job Vacancies Survey covering the entire economy, excluding the primary sector and household activities, for the second quarter of 2024.
The number of job vacancies in Q2 of 2024 rose to 58,941 from 37,107 in Q2 of 2023, marking a 58.8% increase compared to the same period the previous year. This is a stark contrast to the 36.2% rise observed in the year-over-year comparison from 2022 to 2023.
Job vacancies in Greece have become a significant challenge for the country’s economy, as they continue to grow, halting the country’s economic growth. Even though the Greek economy is in a phase of expansion, this severe issue has emerged as a barrier, keeping Greece’s GDP on a low trajectory.
Bank of Greece Governor (BOG) Yannis Stournaras has raised the alarm over the severe shortage of labor. He emphasized that if immediate efforts are not made to fill the roughly 200,000 vacant positions currently available, the country will face an even bigger problem in the future.
