Greece's unemployment drops sharply to 7.9% in May
The total number of unemployed stood at 370,369, reflecting a 25.8% decrease compared to May 2024 and a 4.9% decline from the previous month. The labor market’s recovery appears to be gaining pace, with increases seen in both male and female employment.
Marked Improvements Among Women and Youth
Unemployment among women dropped to 9.8%, down from 13.7% in May 2024, while the rate for men fell to 6.2% from 7.9%. The jobless rate for young people aged 15–24 also showed improvement, falling to 19.9% from 25.2% a year ago.
More Greeks Are Working
The number of employed persons rose to 4,346,499, a 2% year-on-year increase (up by 86,787 people) and a 0.7% rise compared to April 2025. Among those aged 25–74, unemployment fell to 7.1%, from 9.6% last May.
Greece’s labor market has shown resilience amid broader European economic challenges, and the continued decline in unemployment is seen as a sign of strengthening domestic recovery.
