Greece launches campaign to bring back skilled diaspora
Greece is calling on its skilled expatriate workforce to return home as part of a Europe-wide campaign aimed at reversing the brain drain triggered by the country's 2010 debt crisis. Despite continued challenges such as low wages and limited career prospects, signs of renewed interest in returning are emerging.
Labour Minister Leads Europe Tour
Greek Labour Minister Niki Kerameus is spearheading a government-led initiative, traveling across major European cities from London to Amsterdam. Accompanied by Greek employers, Kerameus is seeking to convince young professionals that the country they once left behind has changed.
“People often see us as the representatives of the state that drove them away,” she told the Financial Times. “The biggest challenge is proving that today’s Greece has nothing to do with the Greece of 2010 or 2012.”
600,000 Left in a Decade
An estimated 600,000 Greeks, mostly young and university-educated, emigrated between 2010 and 2021 due to the economic collapse. This exodus has led to a shrinking labor force and a shortage of qualified professionals.
Surveys by the civil society group BrainRegain show that low wages, limited job prospects, and lack of trust in the meritocratic system remain key barriers to return.
Turning Point in 2023
However, for the first time since 2009, more people returned to Greece than left in 2023. According to Eurobank Chief Economist Tassos Anastasatos, 60% of returnees were between the ages of 20 and 44 — considered the most productive demographic for the labor market.
Limited but Symbolic Incentives
The government is offering incentives such as a 50% income tax break for seven years, from which around 6,000 people have benefited since 2020. Yet officials say that economic tools alone are insufficient; changing perceptions is equally important.
The ongoing "roadshow" began in 2024 and is set to include an event in New York later this year. Employers such as Aegean Airlines, Piraeus Port Authority, and global firms like Deloitte and Lidl are participating — with some offering jobs on the spot.
Wages Still Lag Behind EU Average
Despite a 28% rise in average wages since 2016, most professionals earning over €1,600 per month are merely keeping pace with inflation. Bank of Greece advisor Dimitris Malliaropulos noted, “There can be no growth without human capital,” emphasizing the need for competitive salaries and lifelong learning policies.
Personal Stories Highlight Change
Among the returnees is Avgousta Stanitsa, a Greek architect and AI researcher who lived in the UK for nearly a decade. She moved back to Athens while five months pregnant and was hired at EY after a government-run career fair.
“The fact that my pregnancy wasn’t seen as a barrier really impressed me,” she said, adding that she has noticed a cultural shift in the workplace regarding motherhood and work-life balance.
Stanitsa acknowledged that salaries in Greece are nowhere near UK standards, but said that with tax incentives, she can maintain a decent quality of life.
Emotions Still Matter Most
According to BrainRegain, emotional ties remain the strongest motivator for return. Over 50% of respondents cited family reasons, while 32% said they missed the warm climate.
Minister Kerameus concluded, “When people start thinking about what language their children will speak at school, the pull of home becomes much stronger.”
Opportunity-Based Returns Also Rising
For some, the decision to return is more pragmatic. Electrical engineer Panagiotis Kantiotos, after 11 years in France, returned to work on the Crete-Athens energy interconnection project — one of the country’s key infrastructure efforts.
“You can't say no to such an offer in your own country,” he said, though he warned that Greece still needs structural reforms in addition to emotional appeals if it hopes to retain its talent.
