Greece to create 15,000 public sector jobs under new employment programme

The Public Employment Service (ΔΥΠΑ) is preparing special public‑work programmes that will add about 15,000 positions in municipalities and other public bodies. The schemes, to be presented by the prime minister at the opening of the Digital Economy and Technology event in September, will start operating in October. They target two groups of unemployed Greeks – young people needing work experience and job seekers aged 55 and over – and aim to provide insurance contributions that count toward pension rights. The programmes will be tailored to regional unemployment rates and the staffing needs of local authorities, covering projects such as community services, civil protection, technical works and infrastructure repair.

More than 480 former workers of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum have taken the government to court, alleging eight months of “political mockery” after their contracts under a previous ΔΥΠΑ public‑work scheme ended. The workers argue that a March 2024 amendment to the labour law, which would allow extensions for those employed in refugee‑ and migrant‑related facilities, has not been implemented. They contend that promises of new temporary contracts were withdrawn, leaving them without employment despite having completed 24 months of service under the DP14/2022 programme.