Greece’s tourism industry is entering the new season facing a significant labor shortage, with at least 90,000 positions expected to remain unfilled, according to recent estimates.
The shortfall highlights broader pressures on the country’s labor market, where total staffing needs across sectors exceed 300,000 workers.
Tourism and hospitality under strain
Hotels, restaurants and tourism-related businesses are among the hardest hit, struggling to recruit staff for essential roles such as waiters, housekeeping staff, cooks and support personnel. In some cases, businesses are already operating below required staffing levels.
The shortages come at a critical time, as the sector prepares for peak seasonal demand.
Widespread gaps across the economy
The labor gap is not limited to tourism. Construction companies report high demand for skilled workers including technicians, welders, plumbers and machine operators. Manufacturing is also seeking both unskilled and experienced staff, while agriculture continues to face persistent shortages, particularly during harvest periods.
Limited relief from foreign recruitment
Efforts to address the shortfall through foreign labor recruitment are expected to provide only partial relief. Authorities estimate that just one in four vacancies will be filled through this channel.
A total of around 94,500 workers from non-EU countries are expected to be admitted in 2026, slightly higher than the previous year. Of these, approximately 44,000 will take on standard employment roles, 48,000 will be seasonal workers and 2,000 will fill highly skilled positions.
However, overall labor demand significantly exceeds these figures, with vacancies estimated at more than 360,000.
Sector-specific allocations
A large share of incoming workers will be employed in agriculture and related activities, while thousands are also expected to support tourism operations, particularly in cleaning services, food preparation and hospitality roles.
Despite these measures, demand continues to outpace supply. Applications from businesses to hire foreign workers reportedly reached around 400,000, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
Source: tovima.com
