Human Capital
Greece has a specialized and highly trained workforce, capable of effectively supporting any investment project. Based on the following tables, 46.4% of the total labour force has a higher education degree, while 8.0% has a master’s degree and/or a doctorate. It is also indicative that, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority, 22.6% of employed persons are service providers and salesmen, 16.9% are skilled craftsmen and plant and machine operators, 11.6% are office clerks, 7.7% are skilled agricultural and fishery workers and 7.3% are technicians.
The workforce is aligned with the needs of the Greek economy and the trends of the globalized market, with approximately 74.1% employed in the services sector, 16.3% in the secondary sector and 8.8% in the primary sector – more detailed data concerning the employed persons by section of economic activity is presented in the tables below. Furthermore, according to a survey conducted by the Greek Statistical Authority, 69.5% of adults in Greece speak at least one foreign language, while 64.5% of adults speak English.
More key facts about the workforce of Greece:
- Τhe percentage of STEM graduates in Greece is above the OECD average. This is helping to drive growth in several areas: in pharmaceuticals & life sciences, in R&D, and in the country’s rapidly maturing startup ecosystem.
- Greece ranked 40th in Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2025, out of 135 countries. Source: INSEAD https://www.insead.edu/global-talent-competitiveness-index
- Greece ranked 20th out of 123 countries at the English Proficiency Index in 2025. Source: EF English Proficiency Index
- Greece ranked in 29th place (out of 139 countries) in the Human Capital & Research category of the Global Innovation Index for 2025. Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025
Employed persons by sector of economic activity
(in percentage %), 2025 (4th quarter)
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority March 2026, data processed by Enterprise Greece
| Employed persons by section of economic activity
(in thousands), 2025 (4th quarter) |
|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 377.5 |
| Mining and quarrying | 5.3 |
| Manufacturing | 426.5 |
| Electricity, gas, water supply, sewerage, waste management | 78.7 |
| Construction | 202.6 |
| Trade | 785.9 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 377.0 |
| Transportation and storage | 229.3 |
| Information and communication | 115.0 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 96.6 |
| Real estate activities | 14.0 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 366.8 |
| Education | 315.6 |
| Human health and social work activities | 306.1 |
| Various service activities | 615.0 |
| Other category | 34.2 |
| Total | 4,346.1 |
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority March 2026, data processed by Enterprise Greece
| Level of education of the labour force (in thousands and %), 2025 (4th quarter) |
||
| Post graduate qualification | 379.0 | 8.0% |
| University degree | 952.5 | 20.1% |
| Third level technical – vocational institution degree | 870.8 | 18.3% |
| Completed secondary level education | 1,831.6 | 38.6% |
| Level lower than the above | 713.4 | 15.0% |
| Total | 4,747.3 | 100% |
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority March 2026, data processed by Enterprise Greece
Average annual hours actually worked per worker 2024
Source: OECD, April 2026