Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday highlighted what he called a “substantial shift” in Greece’s labor market, citing the creation of 500,000 new jobs and a sharp drop in unemployment to its lowest level in 17 years since his government came to power in 2019.
Speaking at a Labor Ministry event titled “Building Bridges Between Human Capital and the Labor Market,” held at the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center, Mr. Mitsotakis announced that the national unemployment rate has fallen to approximately 8%.
This marks a decrease of roughly 10 percentage points during his administration, with the rate specifically recorded at 8.3% in April 2025.
He credited the government’s policies with significantly boosting wages and job opportunities across the country.
“Something is truly changing in Greece,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, affirming that employment trends are improving and labor policies are delivering tangible results for citizens.
He also pointed to the government-backed “Career Days” initiative, which initially faced skepticism but has since grown into a robust platform successfully connecting jobseekers with employers nationwide.
“It encouraged businesses and social partners to get more involved,” Mr. Mitsotakis noted.
The prime minister referenced his own experience working abroad before returning to Greece, using it to underscore a broader reversal of the so-called “brain drain.”
“Last year, more people returned to Greece than left,” he said, citing official data from 2023 where 47,200 Greek nationals repatriated against 32,800 who departed. This influx marked the first positive balance in over a decade.
“That’s a vote of confidence in our country’s direction,” Mr. Mitsotakis added, confirming the government’s plans to offer tax incentives, including a 50% income tax reduction for seven years, to those who return and relocate their tax residency.
The event comes as Greece gears up for the next political season, with Pasok and Syriza intensifying criticism of the government’s record on the cost of living, labor rights, and inequality. However, Mr. Mitsotakis appeared confident that the current positive economic data strengthens his party’s narrative ahead of the next round of public opinion tests.
