Greek Public Employment Service expands 55+ job program and regional subsidies

The Public Employment Service (ΔΥΠΑ) has launched a new employment scheme for unemployed Greeks aged 55 and over, with applications opening in early August. The program offers 24‑month contracts with full social insurance, subsidies to hiring entities, and priority for long‑term unemployed. Simultaneously, 1,000 graduate positions are being opened, and a separate digital hiring tool, the Ergani app, allows employers to post short‑term contracts of up to two days.

Regional rollout includes 86 subsidised jobs in the Serres district, 48 000 beneficiaries of employment programmes in the Peloponnese, 16 395 beneficiaries in Epirus, and similar figures for training programmes (33 910 in Epirus, over 103 000 in the Peloponnese). The initiatives target women (about 64 % of participants), young people under 29, and long‑term unemployed, aiming to reduce age‑related discrimination and fill staffing gaps in municipal and public‑law bodies.

The service plans to complete all placement procedures by the end of September, with the aim of accelerating job creation, up‑skilling workers in digital, green and financial literacy skills, and supporting new entrepreneurship across Greece.