In a bid to reverse the brain drain of the past decade, the Greek government has launched a national initiative to bring back 50,000 young professionals by 2027. The plan combines financial incentives with collaborations from major companies to create attractive, high-skilled job opportunities for those who left during the economic crisis.
Since 2019, a growing wave of returnees has been recorded, with six in ten choosing to trust Greece again for both their professional and personal lives. According to official data, by 2024, approximately 350,000 of the estimated 600,000–680,000 Greeks who emigrated between 2010 and 2021 had returned home.
However, a recent study by the National Documentation Centre and Kapa Research reveals that personal and family reasons—not economic or career prospects—were the primary drivers behind most returnees’ decisions.
Nevertheless, Greece’s improving economic outlook has played a significant role in motivating many to come back. About 38% of respondents said the country’s economic recovery heavily influenced their decision, while 23% cited the ability to find a job in Greece with comparable pay and prospects to those abroad as a key factor.
To encourage returns, the government offers a 50% income tax break for seven years to those relocating their tax residency to Greece. Meanwhile, the “BrainReGain– Hellenism in Action” initiative hosts events across Europe to highlight return opportunities to Greeks abroad.
A 2023 BrainReGain survey profiled the Greek professionals currently living and working abroad in the post-crisis years. Most are based in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, are over the age of 35, and express a strong desire to return. Their fields of employment are primarily in technology (19%), academia (10%), and healthcare (10%).
These returnees are typically highly skilled with substantial work experience. The most in-demand roles for which they submit applications to Greek companies include IT professionals, financial analysts, engineers, business administrators, software developers, and accountants.
Source: Tovima.com
