Greece is expected to fill just one in every four job vacancies in 2025 as the country continues to grapple with significant labour shortages. So far this year, approximately 90,000 foreign workers have arrived in Greece, covering only 25% of the total workforce demand estimated at 360,000.
Most of these foreign workers are employed in essential sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction, and catering. Tourism, a critical industry contributing nearly 10% to Greece’s GDP, remains one of the hardest-hit sectors in terms of labour supply.
To address these shortages, the Greek government has implemented several bilateral agreements to facilitate the entry of foreign workers. A key agreement has been signed with India, aiming to bring 50,000 Indian workers to Greece by the end of summer 2025. These workers are expected to fill labour gaps across multiple industries, with flexibility in their arrival schedules. This initiative forms part of a wider strategy focused on recruiting workers from non-EU countries, particularly in sectors facing the greatest demand.
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Between 2023 and 2024, Greece required nearly 148,000 foreign workers to sustain its economy. In 2024 alone, over 32,500 worker transfers from outside the EU were approved. These positions mainly involve unskilled or semi-skilled roles, including agricultural labourers, construction workers, machine operators, factory workers, and office staff. Around half of these vacancies—approximately 42,520—are seasonal positions.
Looking ahead to 2025, Greece aims to fill a total of 89,290 roles across various job categories:
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Dependent employment: 41,670 positions (46.7%)
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Seasonal work: 45,670 roles
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Highly skilled jobs: 2,000 roles
If plans proceed as expected, Greece will fill about 3,000 manufacturing jobs, including 1,430 roles in food processing factories such as olive oil and cheese production. Additionally, 2,500 jobs in healthcare services, including elderly care and in-home support, remain open to meet rising demand.
