Greece tops EU list for graduate unemployment, Eurostat data shows

Eurostat data reveal that Greece has the highest graduate unemployment rate among European Union members, with about 6% of people aged 25‑54 holding tertiary education currently unemployed. This contrasts sharply with rates below 1.5% in several Central and Eastern European countries such as Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria. In the Balkans and neighboring Turkey, graduate unemployment hovers around 7%.

The EU average for graduate unemployment sits at roughly 3.6% (5.4% for the 25‑54 age group), while countries like France and Spain report rates of 4.7% and 5.7% respectively. Italy and Germany remain near the low‑end of the spectrum, each around 3%. In addition to graduate unemployment, Greece is among the nations with the highest proportion of young people (aged 15‑29) classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training), exceeding 13% – above the EU average of 11%. Several other member states, including Romania, Italy, and Bulgaria, also record elevated NEET percentages.

Overall, the data highlight pronounced geographic disparities in youth labour market outcomes across the EU, with Greece facing the most acute challenges among graduate job seekers.