Employer of Record in Greece

How EOR hiring works in Greece

An Employer of Record hires employees on behalf of international clients without a legal entity, or the infrastructure to manage global payroll, taxes and benefits administration. Instead of establishing a local entity, you partner with an EOR provider, such as Rivermate and we handle the following:

• The onboarding process and collection of documentation.
• Compiling Greek-compliant employment contracts.
• Registration for statutory bodies and the remittance of statutory payments.
• Ongoing management of payroll, HR administration and compliance.

Our simple, yet effective day-to-day handling of the employment relationship provides you with peace of mind and confidence to hire in Greece.

Grecian labor market: At a glance

The hiring market
Greatest hiring activity:	Athens and Thessaloniki
Onboarding timelines:	Local: 1- 2 working days Foreign national: 2 - 4 weeks (when the work permit has already been authorized).
In-demand sectors:	Engineering, technology and economics
Sectors with skills shortages:	Tourism, agriculture, construction, healthcare, IT and engineering

The salary market
Combined social security contributions:	Total: 35.16% of gross earnings Employer: 21.79% Employee: 13.37% The monthly contribution cap for the Unified Social Security Fund is EUR 7,761.94.
Monthly minimum wage:	€920.00 (effective Apr 1, 2026)
Average monthly gross salary:	€1,362.66 (Private benchmark, 2025)
Personal income tax rates:	First EUR 10,000: 9%
Next EUR 10,000: 20% Next EUR 10,000: 26% Next EUR 10,000: 34% Next EUR 20,000: 39% Above EUR 60,000: 44%

What will it really cost to hire in Greece?

Employers looking into employment costs in Greece need to bear in mind that there is a fixed salary amount, variable compensation, mandatory payments, statutory contributions and additional benefits that affect the calculation.

A balancing act is required to meet candidates' expectations while controlling employment costs. Understanding how each component fits together will help you achieve this exact objective.

Pay structure

Start by benchmarking the gross annual salary for the role. Take into account the skill level, industry and the experience and education of the candidate. Where applicable, add variable components such as commission, performance bonuses and allowances. Next, make allowances for statutory payments.

Extra salary payments

One particularly challenging aspect of employment cost budgeting is the extra salary payments, or 14 salary payments as it is commonly referred to. Essentially, this is 12 regular monthly salary payments plus two extra statutory bonus payments, applicable to the private sector. These payments are divided into three, as follows:

• Easter bonus: Half a monthly salary, paid before Holy Wednesday.
• Leave allowance: Capped at half a monthly salary, paid with the July salary or before the employee’s summer leave (if taken earlier).
• Christmas bonus: A full month’s salary, paid by December 21.

In Greece, these bonuses are taken so seriously that penalties are applied if they are not paid on time. Employees who do not work the entire period, receive a pro-rata portion of the bonuses. The bonuses are also applied to social security calculations since they are part of regular remuneration.

Where an employer hires through an EOR provider, like Rivermate, the bonuses are accrued over a 12-month period to help employers budget more accurately from month to month.

Additional benefits

Private group pension plans and group health insurance plans are common market-related perks offered by employers in Greece. They are beneficial for both the employer, as a deductible expense and for employees who derive certain tax benefits from them.

Social security contributions

Employers must submit social security contributions to the Unified Social Security Fund (e-EFKA). For private-sector employees, an employer deducts the contributions from the gross salary, adds their share and then remits both amounts to the fund.

Employer contributions		Employee contributions
Statutory contribution	Percentage	Statutory contribution	Percentage
Pension fund	13.33	Pension fund	6.67
Supplementary pension	3.00	Supplementary pension	3.00
Healthcare	4.05	Healthcare	2.05
Other social insurance funds	1.41	Other social insurance funds	1.65
Total	21.79	Total	13.37

The hidden cost for employers: employee statutory benefits

Once employers have taken into account fixed salary, variable compensation, statutory bonuses and additional benefits, the picture is not yet complete. There are also ‘hidden costs’ associated with statutory rights that have potential financial implications at termination of the contract.

Statutory right	Legislation	What must be paid at termination of contract?
Annual leave	Presidential Decree 62/2025, Articles 175 and 222; Article 61 of Law 4808/2021	Accrued annual leave must be paid out on the termination date.
Notice period remuneration	Presidential Decree 62/2025, Articles 331–332	An employer can choose to release an employee from service immediately and pay them out for the entire duration of the notice period.
Severance pay	Presidential Decree 62/2025, Articles 331–340	Where it is legally required, a severance payment must be made to the employee based on the number of years of service.

Calculate employment costs

What to expect when hiring in Greece

Overall: 🔴 Challenging

Market condition	Current reality
Hiring momentum	🔴	Cautious. Due to lower unemployment rates, candidates are harder to find and their motivation to move is less than before.
Talent availability	🟡	Mixed. Greece still has a good talent pool, but there is a moderate skills gap between what employers are looking for and the skills candidates currently have, especially in IT, healthcare, engineering, construction and agriculture.
Specialist talent	🔴	Competitive. Some roles can be difficult to fill, especially in sought after industries such as engineering, technology and economics.
Salary pressure	🟡	Moderate to high pressure. Salaries have risen in recent years and employers need to offer market-competitive salaries and better benefits to attract talent.
Candidate expectations	🔴	High, especially for experienced workers. Demand for talent has increased candidate salary and benefit expectations.

Unemployment rates

Local experts are experiencing a slightly different reality to what official figures are portraying. Currently, unemployment figures for Greece are between 7% and 8%, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a large talent pool. The increase in figures is better understood as a result of seasonal work changes. This creates a rise in the number of summer seasonal workers, but not workers in year-round jobs.

In recent years salaries have increased and work conditions have improved, leading to greater worker satisfaction and longer stays with employers. Candidates are not as motivated to change jobs as they were before.

In-demand roles

Some roles are in very high demand, creating tough competition amongst employers. This is especially evident in engineering, technology and economics. As a countermeasure, employers have started to look abroad for professionals, especially in India. This observation is supported by Greek economic reforms, in which the government continues to encourage the hiring of foreign nationals and the entry of digital nomads to boost the economy.

Hiring opportunities for foreign companies

Despite a challenging labor market, Greece offers real opportunities for companies wanting to expand into Europe. Single market EU access, attractive investment opportunities and lower employment costs, alongside talented professionals with high levels of English proficiency, are just some of the reasons foreign companies are attracted to the country.

Simpler employment administration

Greece has also made it easier for employers to manage employment obligations with the Ergani II system, fully operational in 2026. The system will replace previous fragmented systems and manual forms that slowed down the onboarding of workers in Greece.

Ergani II will also consolidate all types of work in Greece into one unified platform. Full-time, part-time, seasonal, contract, and rotating work procedures will be completed using the system.

New labor law code

Effective on July 11, 2025, Greece enacted a new consolidated labor law code via Presidential Decree 62/2025 (FEK A' 121/2025). This code replaces previous fragmented decrees that regulated employment, making it easier for employers to understand and comply with Greek labor law requirements. All employment documents should be aligned with the regulations stipulated in the new code and its supporting amendments.

Hiring foreign nationals in Greece

In practice, our local experts have noticed that the standard visa route in Greece involves a number of delays. For this reason, they prefer to go the EU Blue Card route which is a combined work and residence permit, for non-EU/EEA nationals who can work in highly skilled roles. This route is generally smoother and faster in Greece.

Blue Card requirements

To obtain the Blue Card, employees must meet the required salary and qualification requirements. The employee’s annual salary must equal or exceed 1.6 times the gross annual wage for Greece, estimated at €44,000.

Application documents

In our experience, the application process is smoother when both the client and employee work together with us to gather the required documentation. When documents are missing or information is incomplete, this can delay the application, so we try to avoid it upfront. When the employee actively participates in the process, it is easier to get the application submitted.

Processing timeline

The general timeline is dictated by three steps. Where all documents are available and the employee co-operates with further requests, the process can be completed in three months, but usually takes much longer. There have been cases where it has taken up to a year because documents, or the criminal check, or qualifications were outstanding.

• The initial document collection and submission of the application by Rivermate local experts.
• The overseas consular process which includes an appointment where the employee submits requested documents.
• Final formalities once the employee is in Greece, such as the tax ID number, social security registration and other formalities.

Staying compliant when hiring in Greece

Employment contracts

The most common type of contract used is the indefinite-term employment contract, unless otherwise agreed between a client, the EOR and the employee.

General labor rules around employment contracts are:

• Employers must notify employees of the primary essential working conditions within 7 days of commencing employment, however an Employment Commencement Declaration must still be lodged on Ergani II before work commences.
• Standard full-time work is 8 hours a day or 40 hours per week for a 5-day week.
• Overtime hours carry a wage increase.
• Statutory allowances must be provided to all employees.
• The contract must comply with the regulations as set by the Greek labor laws and amendments.

Employer caution: Employment contracts must be lodged on the Ergani II platform before an employee can commence work. If an employee begins working before the declaration is made, a standard penalty of €10,500 applies. Back-dating the contract does not remove this penalty.

Lodging working hours and schedules

Greek authorities require employers to lodge working hours and shifts in the government system, in advance, to prevent any undeclared work. Where digital employee cards apply, workers use a QR code to clock in and out so that regular work hours and overtime are paid correctly.

Probationary periods

For indefinite-term contracts the maximum standard probation is six months, which must be agreed by both parties. During this period, either party can terminate the contract without the employer needing to pay severance. For fixed-term contracts the duration cannot exceed one quarter of the total duration of the contract, with a cap of six months.

Benefits of hiring employees through Rivermate in Greece

Hiring through an Employer of Record, like Rivermate, is a strong option if you don't want to establish your own legal entity in Greece or handle the compliance burden. If your needs fall into one or more of these categories, you will benefit from our services:

• Companies relocating an employee to Greece.
• Businesses making their first hire in Greece or testing the market.
• Employers making contractor-to-employee transitions.

Ready to hire in Greece?

Rivermate handles the complexities so you can hire with confidence and ease in Greece.

Talk to a Grecian Hiring Expert

Sources:
Greece - Individual - Taxes on personal income
Presidential Decree 62/2025 (FEK A’ 121/2025)
EU fixed-term work Directive transposed | Eurofound
https://globallawexperts.com/how-to-apply-for-single-permit-greece-2026/
https://www.gov.gr/en/organizations/ministries/upourgeio-ergasias-kai-koinonikes-asphalises/elektronikos-ethnikos-phoreas-koinonikes-asphalises-e-ephka/services#9
Contract Termination
Employee benefits