In 2025, Greece ranked last in the EU in the employment of recent graduates, according to Eurostat data. The indicator refers to people aged 20–34 who graduated within the previous three years. In Greece, the employment rate stood at 62.4%, down from 72.7% in 2024 — when Greece was also in last place — marking a drop of 10.3 percentage points in one year. The EU average reached 83%, which is 20.6 points higher than Greece’s performance.
This picture diverges from the broader European trend, as employment among recent graduates increased across the EU overall. Malta topped the ranking with 91%, followed by Germany with 90.6% and the Netherlands with 90.1%, while even countries near the bottom of the ranking, such as Italy and Romania, remained above 70%.
At the top of the EU ranking for employment of recent graduates are Malta (91%), Germany (90.6%) and the Netherlands (90.1%).
According to in.gr, one key explanation is that the Greek labor market mainly creates seasonal and low-paid jobs in tourism and hospitality, rather than knowledge-intensive positions, while there is also a shortage of quality jobs for young people with specialized studies.
The gender gap is also noteworthy: young female graduates recorded an employment rate of 68.6%, compared with 56.8% for men, possibly due to differences in fields of study and compulsory military service.
Πηγή: Eurostat, In.gr