Greece has achieved the largest increase in employment among the 27 member states of the European Union over the past five years, according to new data released by Eurostat. The employed and self-employed population rose to 69.3% of the population last year, compared to 60.8% in 2019, marking an increase of 8.5 percentage points. This is the highest percentage increase since the European Statistical Office began recording data in 2009, when the employment rate in Greece stood at 65.4%. Notably, this rise in employment is projected to be more than triple the average increase seen in the EU, which is at +3.1 percentage points.
Despite this remarkable growth, Greece still ranks second to last in employment levels among the EU nations, surpassing only Romania. The highest employment rates in the EU are found in the Netherlands (83.5%), Malta (83.0%), and Czechia (82.3%). In stark contrast, the lowest employment rates are in Italy (67.1%), Greece (69.3%), and Romania (69.5%).
Furthermore, the unemployment rate in Greece has shown a significant decline, dropping to 8.6% in February 2025, down from 11.5% in February 2024 and a revised 9.1% in January 2025. The number of unemployed individuals fell to 404,581, reflecting a decrease of 144,210 compared to February 2024, which equates to a 26.3% drop, and a decrease of 22,906 compared to January 2025, or 5.4%.
The ongoing convergence with the European average is evident; in 2019, the gap between Greece's employment rate and that of the EU was 12 percentage points. By last year, this difference had narrowed to just 6.5 percentage points. However, while these figures indicate progress, Greece's performance still lags behind the EU average, where 75.8% of the working-age population (aged 20 to 64) are employed.
Moreover, Greece's employment rates in high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors remain particularly concerning, with only 3.2% of the total employed population engaged in these fields. This figure represents a decline from 3.4% in 2023, indicating that Romania has now surpassed Greece in this area.
As the country grapples with these challenges, the current government under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis faces scrutiny regarding its ability to reduce unemployment and improve employment quality across various sectors. The latest Eurostat data showcases both the strides made in employment growth and the ongoing struggles that need to be addressed.
In summary, while Greece has made significant progress in increasing employment rates, it still faces challenges that require urgent attention. The government must focus on not only maintaining this positive trajectory but also addressing the sectors where employment rates are alarmingly low, particularly in technology and innovation.
