Hiring in Greece: Complete Guide 2027
Everything you need to know about hiring and managing employees in Greece
Overview
Greece runs on fourteen salaries. A EUR 3,000 offer costs EUR 42,000 a year before anything else: a full month at Christmas, half a month at Easter and half a month as holiday allowance, each carrying e-EFKA contributions. The employer side is 21.79% in 2026, capped at EUR 7,761.94 of monthly pay, and Law 5246/2025 brought income tax down to a 9 to 44% scale. Count on 35 to 45% above the fourteen-salary gross once the EOR fee is in. If your budget started from twelve months, add the two extra months first.
Currency
Primary Language
Payroll Tax
Pay Frequency
Overview
Employer Costs
Employer Social Contributions
Mandatory Benefits
EOR Service Fee
Total Additional Cost
Employee Deductions
Income Tax
Employee Social Contributions
Mandatory Employee Benefits
PAYROLL & SETUP
Setting Up Payroll in Greece
Greek payroll is monthly, with the Christmas bonus due by 21 December, the Easter bonus before Orthodox Easter and the holiday allowance when leave is taken. An employer gets a tax number (AFM) on myAADE, opens an employer account with e-EFKA (the AME number) and an account on ERGANI II, where each hire is declared before the first day. Contributions in 2026: employer 21.79%, employee 13.37%, on a ceiling of EUR 7,761.94 a month (Gazette B 318/2026). The largest employer item is the main pension branch at 13.33%, then health at 4.55% and the supplementary pension at 3%. The minimum wage is EUR 920 gross from 1 April 2026, paid fourteen times, with EUR 950 announced for April 2027. Income tax is withheld every month on the 2026 scale, 9% up to EUR 10,000 and 44% above EUR 60,000. An EOR files the monthly contribution return (APD), the ERGANI declarations and the digital work card records, and accrues the three bonuses month by month.
Key Labor Laws &
Requirements
Employment Contracts
- Written contract declared on ERGANI II before the start
- Probation up to 6 months (Law 5053/2023)
- Fourteen salaries: Christmas, Easter and holiday bonuses
Leave & Time Off
- 20 working days in year one, 21 in year two, 22 after 10 years
- Around 12 public holidays
- Maternity 17 weeks plus a 6-month special leave benefit
Termination Rules
- Notice of 1 to 4 months after a year of service
- Severance from 2 months’ pay, up to 12 at 16 years, halved with notice
- No severance in the first 12 months
COMPLIANCE
ERGANI II Declarations and Termination Compliance in Greece
ERGANI II is where a Greek labour inspection starts. The hiring declaration goes in before the employee starts, every change of hours or pay is declared, and the digital work card logs clock-in and clock-out in most sectors; a missing record is the inspector’s first finding. Law 5053/2023 allows a probation period of up to 6 months and no severance in the first 12 months. After a year, a white-collar employee gets 1 to 4 months’ notice by seniority and severance from 2 months’ pay, rising to 12 months at 16 years, halved when notice is given. The 40-hour week stands, with a six-day option in continuous-operation sectors. An EOR that cannot show you its ERGANI account employs nobody in Greece.
Key Challenges
- Fourteen salaries: Christmas, Easter and holiday bonuses add two months a year
- Every hire declared on ERGANI II before the first day
- Digital work card logs working time in most sectors
- Severance climbs to 12 months’ pay at 16 years of service
- Employer e-EFKA at 21.79%, on a EUR 7,761.94 monthly ceiling
Country Highlights
Advantages
- Software salaries at roughly half the German rate
- Eurozone and EU labour law, no currency risk
- 0% income tax on the first EUR 20,000 for employees aged 25 and under
- Probation up to 6 months, no severance in the first 12 months
- Deep shipping, tourism and pharma talent pools
Popular Industries & Roles
Technology
Avg. Salary: €30k-€55k
Athens and Thessaloniki supply software engineers at roughly half the German rate, which is why several US and German firms have opened engineering hubs there
Shipping & Maritime
Avg. Salary: €36k-€72k
Piraeus hosts the largest shipowning community in the world; ship management, chartering and marine insurance pay well above the national average
Pharma & Life Sciences
Avg. Salary: €33k-€62k
Greek generics producers and the clinical research arms of multinationals hire chemists, regulatory affairs and quality staff across Attica
Top 3 Providers in Greece
Based on our analysis of pricing, compliance record, service quality, and customer reviews
LMW HR Group
- South European EOR, Athens-founded 2013
- 6 owned offices across Europe
- Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Czech, UK
- 2,000+ employees managed; pricing on request
Deel
- EOR in 130+ countries; owned entities in 120+
- Contractor and EOR in one platform
- 300+ integrations including Slack, Workday
- AI-powered compliance automation
Remote
- 100% owned entity model globally
- Compliance-first with IP protection
- Strong contractor management at $29/month
- Ranked #1 for compliance on G2
Frequently asked questions
Hiring in Greece through an EOR, in short.
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How much does an employer pay on top of salary in Greece?
Employer contributions in Greece come to 21.79%; the largest mandatory line is Pension 13.33%. With the other statutory benefits and a typical EOR fee, budget ~35–45% on top of gross salary.
What does an EOR charge per employee in Greece?
Published EOR fees in Greece run $450–750/mo per employee per month, with any setup fee negotiated separately. The fee is flat, so it weighs less as the salary rises.
What does an employee in Greece pay in tax and contributions?
Income tax is 9–44% progressive and employee social contributions are 13.37% (6.67% pension), both withheld by the employer on every pay run.
How long does it take to hire through an EOR in Greece?
2-5 Days once the employee's documents are in. The contract is issued by the EOR's local entity and payroll runs on the local cycle (Monthly).
Which EOR providers rank best in Greece?
LMW HR Group, Deel and Remote hold the first three places in our ranking for hiring in Greece. The full top 10, with the questions to put to each provider before signing, is here: Top 10 EOR providers in Greece.
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