Greece continues to record a higher youth unemployment rate, who are neither in employment, education or training (NEET) than the European Union average, despite steady improvement in recent years, according to a new report by the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE).
The analysis, which tracks developments through 2025, found that 13.6% of Greeks aged 15-29 were classified as NEETs last year, compared with 11% across the EU. While the rate has fallen steadily since peaking in 2013, Greece remains above the European average.
The report said young women continued to face a greater risk of being out of work, education or training than men, although the gap has narrowed in recent years.
NEET rates were also higher among people aged 18-29 than for the broader 15-29 age group, reflecting the fact that most teenagers aged 15-17 remain in formal education. The study highlighted significant regional differences across the country.
The highest NEET rates were recorded in the Ionian Islands (24%), followed by Epirus (19.7%), the North Aegean (18.7%) and the South Aegean (16.3%).
By contrast, Central Greece, Crete and the Attica region posted the lowest rates, all below the national average.
One of the report’s most striking findings concerns educational attainment.
Unlike most EU countries, Greece records its highest NEET rate among university graduates, at nearly 20%. Graduates of secondary and post-secondary education follow, while the lowest rates are found among young people with lower levels of educational attainment.
The pattern is the reverse of that seen across the European Union, where university graduates have the lowest NEET rate—around 8%—and the likelihood of falling outside employment, education or training increases as educational attainment declines.
IOBE attributed the divergence to structural weaknesses in the Greek economy and the limited link between higher education, vocational training and labour market needs.
The report said the large share of university graduates remaining outside the workforce highlighted persistent inefficiencies that limit Greece’s ability to make full use of its human capital, despite the country’s gradual convergence with the EU average in recent years.
