Unemployment rate rises to 13.8% in Greece

The unemployment rate in Greece rose to 13.8% in the first quarter of this year, from 13.2% in the fourth quarter of 2021 and compared to 17.1% in the first quarter of last year, according to data released by the Hellenic Statistical Services (ELSTAT).

The number of jobless amounted to 647,196 people, showing an increase of 4.8% compared to the previous quarter and a decrease of 13.2% compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year. However, about 380,000 people are long-term unemployed looking for a job without success for more than a year. The unemployment rate for women is 18% compared to 10.5% for men.

In terms of age, the highest percentages are recorded in the ages of 15-19 years (60.8%) and 20-24 years (31.8%), followed by the ages 25-29 years (21.3%), 30-44 years (13.4%), 45-64 years (10.5%) and above (9.4%).

In terms of the unemployment rates per region, the South Aegean (24.4%), Crete (19.9%), and the South Aegean (19.8%) have the highest rates, followed by Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (17.4%), Western Macedonia (16.7%), Central Macedonia (15.4%), the North Aegean (15%), and Central Greece (14.7%). ), Western Greece (14.6%), Thessaly (14.4%), Epirus (12.3%), Attica (10.5%), and the Peloponnese (10.4%).

The profile of the unemployed

From the ELSTAT labour force survey, it appears that the main reasons why the unemployed stopped working are either because their work was of limited duration and ended (37.9%) or because they were fired (15.2%). The percentage of unemployed who have not worked in the past (young unemployed) is 20%.

The majority of the unemployed (58.7%) are looking for work for a year or more (long-term unemployed). Also, the majority of the unemployed have completed secondary education (61.1%). The percentage of unemployed who declare that they are not registered with OAED amounts to 15.3%, while the percentage of those who state that they receive an allowance or assistance from OAED amounts to 17.1%.

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