According to ELSTAT's Labour Force Survey, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.6% in September 2026, compared with 8.8% in September 2025 and 7.4% in August. The number of employed people reached 4,391,208, up 49,573 on a year earlier and down 8,945 from August. The unemployed numbered 359,609, 57,627 fewer than a year ago and 7,509 more than in the previous month. People outside the labour force fell to 2,949,072.

What it means: The year-on-year comparison shows clear improvement: unemployment is more than a point lower than a year ago and employment keeps rising. The small increase from August is usually linked to the end of the tourist season, so the monthly move matters less than the trend. For Greek businesses, lower unemployment has two sides. On one hand, it means more income and steadier consumer demand. On the other, the pool of available workers is shrinking, something tourism, restaurants, construction and manufacturing already feel, and it puts pressure on wages. Together with energy-driven inflation, businesses need to plan for pay rises in their 2027 budgets and invest in keeping their staff. The drop in people outside the labour force shows more people are returning to work, which helps labour supply. Training, flexible hours and hiring people who had left the job market can help businesses that struggle to fill positions.

Notice: For information only. Not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell.

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