Greece’s Jobless List Shrinks, but Two in Three Are Women
by Bill Giannopoulos · Greek City TimesThe number of registered unemployed in Greece fell 9% in a year to 655,023 in September, with women making up two in every three people on the jobless register.
Figures from the Public Employment Service (DYPA) show a drop of 65,016 people compared with September 2025.
The total also fell by 62,903, or 8.8%, from August 2026, according to the monthly data.
Benefit recipients numbered 169,838, down 1.1% on a year earlier but up 6.1%, or 9,709 people, on August.
Read more: Greece Adds 8,000 More Subsidised Jobs for Unemployed Over 55
Who the registered unemployed are
Women accounted for 442,709 of the registered unemployed, or 67.6%, while men numbered 212,314 (32.4%).
More than half, 359,951 people or 55%, have been on the list for 12 months or longer. The remaining 295,072 (45%) joined less than a year ago.
People aged 30 to 44 formed the largest age group, at 187,759 (28.7%). By education level, those with secondary schooling led with 309,888 (47.3%).
Attica had the most registered unemployed, with 227,357 people (34.7%), ahead of Central Macedonia with 133,513 (20.4%).
Benefit payments by category
DYPA counts benefit recipients as those it paid during the month. Women made up 70.1% of them (118,985), compared with 50,853 men.
In DYPA’s broad grouping, 164,424 recipients (96.8%) were ordinary or other claimants, while 5,414 (3.2%) were seasonal tourism workers.
Within that group, ordinary unemployed claimants formed the biggest group, at 140,225 or 82.6%. Teachers came next with 22,066 (13%).
Smaller groups included 1,112 construction workers (0.7%), 832 seasonal farm workers (0.5%) and 189 others (0.1%).
The DYPA count covers everyone on its jobseeker register, whether or not they receive benefits. It differs from the official jobless rate, because ELSTAT measures that through a labour force survey.
That rate fell to 7.4% in August, its lowest level since before the crisis. Earlier, in September, Greece also recorded a historic employment high.
Source: ERT News
Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on WhatsApp, Google News and Apple News.
Related coverage
- Greek Wages Climb by 30% Since 2019 as Unemployment Falls
- Unemployment in Greece Falls Sharply to 7.9%
- 140 Companies Offer Over 3,500 Jobs at Athens Career Day
- 1,000 Jobs for Unemployed University Graduates: Who Can Apply
Advertising