Greece Secures Just 25% of Needed Foreign Workers for 2025

Greece faces a shortfall of 270,000 workers despite immigration deals with India and others. Key sectors like tourism and agriculture remain understaffed.

Labour Shortages Pressure the Economy

Greece has so far secured 90,000 foreign workers for 2025 — just 25% of the 360,000 needed. The most affected sectors are tourism, agriculture, catering, and construction, Schengen.News reports.

Tourism is particularly vulnerable as it accounts for 10% of the GDP, and labour shortages could undermine the 2025 summer season.

Government Actions

To close the gap, the Greek government signed a bilateral agreement with India to bring up to 50,000 workers by summer’s end. But even these efforts fall short of what’s needed.

In 2023–2024, Greece needed 147,925 foreign workers, and in 2024 approved 32,517 additional arrivals. Around half of these roles were seasonal, including land workers, machine operators, and construction staff.

High-Demand Occupations

The 2025 workforce plan targets 89,290 roles, including:

41,670 dependent employment

45,670 seasonal work

2,000 high-skilled jobs

New job types include factory workers, caregivers, and manufacturing staff. Estimates suggest 3,000 workers could be employed in factories and 2,500 in healthcare and elderly care.

Outlook: Gap to Persist

Despite efforts, Greece still faces a 270,000-worker gap. Without new international recruitment efforts, key sectors may remain understaffed, threatening economic growth and service quality during peak periods.