The most popular job categories
The self-employed, service sector employees and retailers are the professional categories with the largest percentage of workers in Greece, according to official data published by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) for the fourth quarter of 2024, showing that a productive model remains a target for the Greek economy.
There was an increase in senior managers and executives (10.5%) and professionals (4.9%), especially in the last quarter of the previous year, while from 2012 to the end of 2024 there were increasing trends – albeit with large fluctuations – in the percentage of those who work in the fields of commerce, transport and communications. Since 2022 there has been an increase in the percentage of those working in the construction sector, and stabilizing trends in the industry/energy sectors and financial/business activities.
On the positive side of last year, there was a significant increase in operators of industrial installations, machinery and equipment by 11.2%, but also a significant decrease of 8.6% was observed in specialized farmers, breeders, foresters and fishermen.
Further analysis shows the evolution of annual employees per sector of economic activity indicates a decline for mines and quarries (-38.8%), real estate managers (-30%) and financial and insurance (-10.7%) employees on an annual basis.
In contrast, employment increased from 2023 to 2024 in water supply (20.6%) and electricity (13.2%), in professional and scientific activities (14.3%), administrative activities (12.6%) as well as in education (10.2%) and construction (8%).
Regarding the overall picture of employment, at the end of 2024 the jobless rate stood at 9.5%, up from 9% the previous quarter and down from 10.5% in the previous year (10.5%).
The number of employees amounted to 4,278,704, reduced by 1% compared to September 2024 and increased by 2.3% on a yearly basis.
Similarly, the number of unemployed amounted to 449,123, up 4.8% compared to the previous quarter and down 8.1% compared to the end of 2023.
The people not included in the workforce (who do not work and are not seeking work), amounted to 4,282,742.
Kathimerini
