HOW TO FIND A JOB IN GREECE

Despite the serious economic crisis, which peaked in mid-2015, the Greek government, with the support of the European Union and the IMF, managed to stabilize the situation and the country's financial system did not collapse. Greece stayed in the euro zone and the situation gradually improved. Therefore, jobs in Greece in 2024 are still relevant and there are vacancies in the local labor market.

According to statistics, about 20% of the labor force in Greece are immigrants. Most immigrants work in agriculture, tourism, construction and other unskilled jobs. Finding a prestigious job in Greece with good conditions and high wages is quite problematic. One of the main reasons is high unemployment in the country, which is about 10%, and even more than 30% among young people.

One fifth of Greek GDP is generated by tourism. The country has a rich history, a comfortable geographical location in the southern part of Europe, is surrounded by four seas, so the annual flow of tourists does not decrease. Vacancies in this industry, including for foreigners, quite enough. Further in the article, let's talk about the employment procedure in Greece, ways to find a job, available vacancies and salaries in 2024.

The mechanism of employment in Greece

The process of moving to Greece for official employment is the same as in most EU countries. It is strongly recommended to work legally, otherwise there is a great risk of a large fine, deportation or even imprisonment. Usually foreign nationals go through these stages:

1. Finding a vacancy in a Greek company and signing an employment contract.

2. Approval of the workplace (work permit) for the foreigner by the Greek Labor Authority (hereinafter "GLA"). This step is performed by the employer.

3. Registration of a long term visa at the Greek Consulate in the country (type D).

4. Entering Greece and obtaining a residence permit with the right to work.

As you can see from the list the first and perhaps the most difficult step is to find a Greek employer (see below). After all, you will have to compete not only with more than 10 million Greek citizens, of whom about 4.8 million are potential workers, but also with residents of other EU countries. Only if there are no applicants for the job among these individuals, will the company be able to get GLA approval to fill the vacancy with a foreigner from third countries.

After that, it is possible to apply to the Greek Consulate for a visa, which will allow you to stay on Greek territory for more than 90 days. As a rule, officers require a valid passport, employment contract, criminal record certificate and medical insurance. The list of documents is specified directly at the diplomatic office.

Upon arrival in Greece, you need to obtain a personal identification number and a social security number, then within 1 month, apply to the local police department or the municipality for a residence permit. It is better not to delay, as the process may take up to 6-12 months.

Depending on the circumstances, the document is issued for a period of 1 to 5 years. The possibility of changing the employer appears not earlier than 12 months of continuous work. It is worth noting that the procedure for Greek citizenship by naturalization is one of the longest in Europe, in the absence of real estate ownership or major investment in the local economy, requires 12 years of continuous residence in the Greek territory.

Jobs in Greece without intermediaries. Looking for jobs.

To successfully find a job in Greece you will need language skills, i.e. good level of English and at least the basics of Greek. Proficiency in other languages – German, French, Italian – is only a plus. Working in Greece in 2024 without knowledge of the language, at a time when up to a quarter of working-age Greeks are officially unemployed – it is, to put it mildly, unlikely. But on rare occasions there are such jobs.

Another important point is the recognition of qualifications. Some types of professions in Greece, for example, medical, are regulated and require confirmation. It is worth paying attention to this. Foreigners with a degree from one of the Greek universities have a great advantage. A good way to find a job in Greece would be a tourist trip to this country. You can, so to speak, combine business with pleasure, have a little rest and try to find a Greek employer.

Popular job search sites in Greece

careerjet.com

gr.indeed.com

jobinathens.com

learn4good.com

Greek newspaper sites

tovima.gr

avgi.gr

tanea.gr

Professional Social Network – Linkedin.com

If you are confident in your competitive edge, you can contact a Greek employer directly. To find a company, use this site – xo.gr. If you cannot find a job without intermediaries, you can also find an official employment agency here.

Jobs and wages in Greece

Of course, the economic and financial crisis has had a negative impact on the wages of Greek workers, but over the past two years the figure has increased significantly. In 2024, the average wage in Greece after tax is about 943 euros per month.

The official minimum wage is 830 euros. The figure can vary depending on age and profession. In fact, Greece is the only country in the EU that has lowered the minimum wage compared to 2008. Nevertheless, this figure is higher than in many European countries with stable economic growth, such as the Czech Republic and Poland.

As for popular jobs in Greece for foreigners in 2024, almost nothing has changed – it is the tourist sector and agriculture. As a rule, temporary employment is meant. In the first case, these are waiters, bartenders, animators, guides, maids, assistant cooks and so on. In the second case, pickers of crops such as citrus, grapes, olives, etc. The wages in these professions are different – from 500-600 to 1,000 euros.

In demand in Greece and other unskilled labor – nannies, nurses, housekeepers, loaders, very often offered to work unofficially, so you should be careful. Men can find a job in one of the working professions, for example, are often needed construction workers. However, in this direction, as well as in tourism, there is a lot of competition with workers from Eastern Europe, members of the EU, for whom it is much easier to find a job in Greece.

For qualified foreign specialists the situation is much more difficult. Finding a decent well-paid job in Greece is virtually impossible. Many industries, such as shipbuilding, are experiencing a noticeable decline. If only employment in a large company or representative office of a foreign firm. Work experience, language skills and qualifications will be a must. In principle, in today's world, professional programmers and engineers are always needed everywhere.

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