The increase in the minimum wage from €830 to €880 will have a ripple effect on 19 different benefits, while the government’s goal is to reach €950 by 2027 and a €1,500 average salary.
Based on the latest government announcement, a married employee with nine years of experience (three seniority increments) will see their salary reach €1,258.40 per month. Meanwhile, the basic daily wage for an unskilled worker will rise to €39.4, up from €37.10.
Key Increases at a Glance
- Unemployment Benefit: Up from €509 to €540
- Christmas Bonus: Up from €830 to €880
- Easter Bonus: From €556.05 to €589.41
- Leave Allowance: From €556.05 to €589.41
New Salary Structure Based on Seniority
| Seniority | Single Employees (Gross) | Married Employees (Gross, incl. 10% marriage bonus) |
|---|---|---|
| No seniority | €880 | €968 |
| 1st three-year increment | €968 | €1,064.80 |
| 2nd three-year increment | €1,056 | €1,161.60 |
| 3rd three-year increment | €1,144 | €1,258.40 |
Affected Benefits (Increased by 6%)
- Unemployment Benefit: €540 (from €509)
- Maternity Allowance: €880 (adjusted to new minimum wage)
- Parental Leave Allowance: Adjusted accordingly
- Employment Subsidy (50% of unemployment benefit): €270
- End-of-Unemployment Assistance: 13 daily benefits
- Three-Month Unemployment Assistance: 15 daily benefits
- Post-Release Assistance (Ex-Prisoners): 15 daily benefits
- Work Suspension Benefit: 20 daily benefits
- Employer Insolvency Compensation: Up to 3 salaries
- Seasonal Construction Workers Benefit: 70% of 37 standard daily wages
- Seasonal Miners Benefit: 70% of 50 standard daily wages
- Seasonal Artists, Tourism & Entertainment Benefit: 70% of 25 standard daily wages
- Other Seasonal Workers (Forestry, Resin Collectors, Tobacco Workers, Potters): 70% of 35 standard daily wages
- Freelancer Unemployment Assistance: Monthly benefit
- Apprentice Compensation (EPAS Students): 75% of daily wage
- Internship Allowance (IEK DYPA): 80% of minimum wage
- Work Experience Programs: Minimum wage level
- Public Work Programs: Minimum daily wage
- Student Workers: 30 daily wages (undergraduate), 10 daily wages (postgraduate)
Public vs. Private Sector Wage Adjustments
- Private Sector: Increase of €50 gross, raising net earnings to €742.98 per month.
- Public Sector: Across-the-board €30 increase for 600,000 public employees, marking the first time a minimum wage hike extends to the public sector.
With this latest fifth consecutive wage increase, Greece now ranks 11th in the EU among countries with a legislated minimum wage, surpassing Croatia, Malta, Estonia, and Bulgaria, but still below Lithuania, Portugal, and Cyprus.
By 2027, the government’s target is €950 for the minimum wage and €1,500 for the average salary, while social security contributions will be reduced by six percentage points.
With an 8.7% unemployment rate, Greece now ranks lower than Sweden and Spain in unemployment figures.
This latest wage hike is part of a long-term plan, requiring annual increases of €40-50 over the next three years to meet the €950 goal by 2027.
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