Greece is home to the birthplace of Western civilisation and some of the most historical sites in the world. The stunning Greek islands and beaches are what attracts millions of tourists every year, as well as the tasty food, friendly people and warm climate.
If you dream of working in Greece there are lots of options including short term and seasonal jobs in popular tourism destinations like the islands which are popular with students, graduates and young people. There are also careers in professional available in cities like Athens.
View out guide to working in Greece for foreigners and apply today.
About Greece
The nation’s official name is the Hellenic republic and is located in the South of Europe and despite its location next to Turkey is classed as a western European nation. The nation’s capital is Athens and it’s the largest city in the country. Greece is made up of a whopping 1,400 islands making it the 11th longest coastline in the world. These include Crete, Rhodes, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades and the Ionian islands. Greece is one of the hilliest regions in Europe with its landmass being 80% mountainous.
Greece has land borders with the republic of Macedon, Bulgaria and Albania to the North and Turkey to the East. Present day Greece traces its origins to the ancient Greek culture that created Democracy, literature, political science, mathematical principles and the Olympic Games. Greece is a perfect place for history buffs and fans of culture. UNESCO has seventeen World heritage sites located in the country, ranking it the 7th European country with the most sites.
Despite its links with ancient Greece, modern day Greece was only formed in 1830 following a war of independence against the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Prior to the Ottomans Greece was absorbed by several Empires, the most famous being the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
How to Find a Job in Greece
In recent years the Greek economy has suffered terribly due to the ongoing Euro crisis. The level of people out of work is close to 25%. Finding work is incredibly difficult in the country and with no end in sight, the chances of foreigners landing jobs is difficult.
Seasonal and Summer Jobs in Greece
There are though still opportunities for English teachers and seasonal workers looking to work here during summer. Popular jobs for students and temporary workers is to work in the hotel, hospitality and travel industries. The Greek islands are spectacular and it’s easy to see why so many people want to move here. Working as a rep, or in bars, clubs, ticket selling, djs, cleaners and hosts is really popular. Who wouldn’t want to spend time living in places like Zante, Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini.
Professional Jobs
If you are looking for a well paid long term career in Greece, the main industries are tourism, shipping, industrial products, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, mining and petroleum. There are lots of international companies with offices in Greece who hire foreign staff.
Visa and Work Permits
As an EU citizen you can legally work in Greece without the need for a work permit. Non-EU citizens are highly unlikely to be able to be able to work legally in part-time or short-term jobs. If you visit Greece to look for a job, you have three months to find employment or set up in business and once employment has been found you must apply for a residence permit within one week. Greece has virtually imposed a freeze on the employment of non-EU nationals due to the huge number of illegal immigrants in the country. Certain non-EEA nationals are given preference, particularly those of Greek origin or those married to a Greek citizen.
Language
Greece is a difficult language to speak well but it definitely pays to learn the local lingo. The locals will appreciate your attempts at speaking their language even if you do butcher it. You could study online, or search language schools in Greece to take an in-country course.
Salaries
Since the economic crisis began, wages in Greece have taken a bit of a battering as companies cut costs. The average wage for a person in full-time work is around €20,435. The government have imposed heavy taxes in its bid to increase income into the nations coffers and so the amount of bring home pay is lower than it sounds.
If you’re thinking of emigrating to Greece you will have to know what type of currency the country uses. In the case of Greece the country uses the Euro or the single currency.
The Euro is the second most traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar, before you emigrate it is a good idea to seek advice from a trusted currency broker. Salaries are quite low compared to other western European countries but high compared to eastern.
Working Hours
Working hours in Greece are very long despite recent reports in the media that Greeks are slackers. In actual fact the Greeks work the third longest hours in the European Union.
Holiday and Benefits
Greek workers may get pretty bad pay and poor working hours but they certainly get a nice amount of time off. Workers tend to get up to 37 days paid holiday! According to a number of Greek workers the working conditions and time off are pretty good but a major problem is the lack of receiving pay for your exertions. One way to avoid not being paid is to ask your employer to be paid either daily or weekly, this way you could still lose a week’s wages but nothing as catastrophic as a whole months.
Banks
There are many banks in Greece with eight in particular being the most popular as well as the multinationals found in most countries. The largest bank in terms of number of customers and branches is the National Bank of Greece. The major banks are as follows; the national bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Hellenic Bank, Emporiki Bank, and HSBC.
Cost of Living
Thanks to the weakness of the Euro the price of everyday items is comparatively cheaper than those found in the UK.