Unemployment in Greece – The national jobless rate dropped to 9% in March 2025, showing signs of recovery.
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Jobless rate falls to 9 per cent in March — but there’s still work to do
Greece’s job market has made some clear progress over the past year. In March 2025, the country’s unemployment rate fell to 9 per cent, down from 10.8 per cent in March last year, according to new figures from ELSTAT, the Hellenic Statistical Authority.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Compared to February this year, when unemployment sat at 8.6 per cent, the latest numbers show a slight increase — a reminder that the recovery is still on shaky ground.
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Employment rises year-on-year, dips slightly since February
There’s good news when you look at the bigger picture. The number of people in work hit 4.28 million in March — around 23,000 more than a year ago.
Still, the month-to-month trend is less encouraging. Compared to February, nearly 30,000 fewer people were employed, suggesting that some sectors may be slowing down or dealing with seasonal changes.
Women lead Greece’s job market recovery
One of the more encouraging signs in the data is the progress made by women in the workforce. Unemployment among women dropped to 11.7 per cent, down from a much higher 14.3 per cent last March. Men also saw improvement, with the rate falling to 6.9 per cent from 8.1 per cent.
Meanwhile, the total number of unemployed people stood at 424,575 in March. That’s almost 93,000 fewer than this time last year — but over 20,000 more than in February.
More people stepping away from Greece’s job market
Another trend to watch: the number of people completely out of the workforce — meaning they’re not working or actively looking for work — went up by nearly 45,000 compared to March 2024. That puts the total at just over 3.05 million.
So while unemployment is down overall, the labour market is still adjusting, and some people may be finding it hard to stay engaged in the job hunt.
Greece has made clear progress since last year — but as the latest monthly figures suggest, it’s still a fragile recovery.
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