Greek graduate exodus to Europe hits new high in 2025
The number of Greek university graduates moving to other European countries reached its highest level in recent years in 2025, highlighting the continued impact of economic pressures and limited employment opportunities at home.
According to data compiled by Greece in Figures from labor and migration statistics, nearly 14,000 more Greek graduates left for Europe in 2025 compared with the previous year, marking a 12.1% annual increase.
The figures cover Greeks aged 20 to 64 who studied in Greece before relocating to European countries, including EU member states as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
More than 128,000 graduates have left since 2000
A total of 128,500 Greek university graduates have moved to Europe since 2000. In 2025, graduates became one of the three largest groups of Greeks living abroad, alongside those with secondary education and those with compulsory education.
The employment rate among Greek graduates abroad reached 85.9%, significantly higher than among graduates who remained in Greece.
Overall, the number of Greeks aged 20 to 64 who have moved to Europe since 2000 climbed to 386,100, an increase of more than 30,000 in one year.
Greece still faces highest graduate unemployment in Europe
Despite improvements in the labor market, Greece recorded the highest unemployment rate among university graduates aged 25 to 64 in Europe in 2025, at **6.8%**.
By comparison, the European average graduate unemployment rate stood at around 4%, while university graduates make up about 32.4% of the population in this age group across Europe. In Greece, graduates account for 30.2% of the population.
Return efforts face ongoing challenges
The migration of highly educated workers, known as "brain drain," became a major issue during Greece's financial crisis. Although authorities have introduced measures aimed at encouraging professionals to return, recent figures show no significant reversal of the trend.
Analysts say improving wages, career opportunities and working conditions will be key factors in convincing Greek professionals abroad to come back.
Latest labor data also showed continued pressure, with Greece's unemployment rate rising to 9.5% in April 2026, compared with 9.0% a year earlier. The figures suggest that reversing migration trends will require broader economic changes beyond government incentives.
Source:tovima
