Registered unemployment in Greece surged to 894,065 in November 2025, posting a sharp 16.4% monthly increase as seasonal contracts expired, even as the broader year-on-year data points to a gradual recovery.
According to figures released by the Public Employment Service (DYPA), the jobless count rose by 126,064 compared to October, reflecting the traditional post-summer slowdown in tourism and agriculture.
However, the total remains 7.1% lower than in November 2024, signaling that the labor market is tightening over the long term despite seasonal volatility.
Structural challenges persist, particularly regarding long-term unemployment. Nearly half of those registered (47%) have been out of work for more than 12 months.
The gender gap also remains stark, with women accounting for 64.6% of all jobseekers.
Geographically, the burden falls heaviest on the country’s population centers.
The Attica region alone accounts for nearly 30% of the unemployed, followed by Central Macedonia at 18.5%.
The end of the tourism season also drove a monthly rise in benefit claims.
In November, 155,655 individuals received unemployment benefits—a 17.9% jump from October—though this figure is down nearly 9% compared to last year.
Opposition parties Syriza and Pasok have seized on the monthly spike to criticize the government's pace on job creation and training.
In response, the administration maintains that the annual decline proves its economic policies are slowly eroding the country's historic unemployment overhang.