Greek Deputy Minister Stavros Kalafatis reports 20,000 high‑skill jobs created in seven years

Deputy Minister of Development Stavros Kalafatis said that coordinated policies have generated 20,000 new high‑skill positions in Greece over the past seven years, mainly for scientists working in research centres, universities and companies. He noted that 86% of newly appointed PhD lecturers choose to stay and work in Greece, and Eurostat data shows a steady rise in the return of Greek nationals from abroad between 2021 and 2024, indicating a reversal of the brain‑drain trend.

Kalafatis highlighted Greece’s early adoption of a National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, offering generous tax incentives for firms investing in research and development and for investors in Greek startups. He said firms that integrate AI ethically and safely can boost productivity up to fourfold, and more than half of Greek companies have begun systematic AI use in the last year. The minister also referenced the EU’s “Choose Europe for Science” initiative aimed at attracting young researchers to Europe.