Unemployment benefit in Greece (2026): how much and for how long
The amount is almost the same for everyone. What differs is the number of months, which depends on how many days you worked.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy
An employee dismissed after 200 insured days in the 14 months before the contract ended receives €565.00 a month in unemployment benefit for 8 months, €4,520 in total. Since 1 April 2026, when the minimum wage rose, the basic amount paid by DYPA, the Greek public employment service, has been €565.00: 25 daily benefits, each worth 55% of the statutory minimum daily wage of €41.09. Each dependant adds 10%. Duration runs from 5 months for 125 days to 12 months from 250 days, or from 210 days for claimants aged 49 or more. Only people whose average pay over the last six months was below twelve minimum daily wages a month get a reduced rate. The benefit is not a share of your salary, which surprises many people arriving from elsewhere in Europe. Enter your insured days and pay to see the amount, the months and the total.
Unemployment benefit per month
€565.00
for 8 months · €4,520 in total
| Daily rate (55 % of the minimum daily wage) | €22.60 |
| Share for your pay level | 100 % |
| Base amount (25 daily rates) | €565.00 |
| 10 % per dependant | +€0.00 |
| Duration | 8 months |
Regular benefit after dismissal or the end of a contract. A first claim also needs 80 days in each of the two previous years. Apply within 60 days.
Amounts and limits from the DYPA circular, as in force in 2026 · calculated in your browser, nothing is sent.
Who can claim
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dismissal or end of a fixed-term contract | Yes |
| Resignation | No |
| First claim | 125 days in the 14 months (or 200 in two years) and 80 days in each of the two previous years |
| Repeat claim | 125 days in the 14 months, no more than 400 daily benefits in the last four years |
| Deadline | 60 days after the contract ends |
Benefit starts on the seventh day if you apply within a week of the contract ending, otherwise from the day you apply, so every day of delay is a day lost. Apply online through DYPA or gov.gr with your TAXISnet credentials.
How many months you will be paid
Benefit duration
8 months
| Next step | 10 months from 220 days |
| 12 months from age 49 with | 210 days |
What it replaces of your income
| Gross pay | Net a month (12-month basis) | Benefit | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| €1,100 | €1,044 | €565.00 | 54% |
| €1,500 | €1,359 | €565.00 | 42% |
| €2,200 | €1,877 | €565.00 | 30% |
| €3,500 | €2,730 | €565.00 | 21% |
Because the benefit is flat, the share of income it replaces falls quickly as pay rises. That is the main difference from the systems in Germany, France or the Netherlands, where benefits are a percentage of previous pay. A pilot scheme with pay-related, gradually decreasing amounts has been tested on about 15,000 randomly selected claimants, but it has not been extended to everyone.
What the new minimum wage changed
Benefit from 1 April 2026
€565.00
| Before April | €540.50 |
| Increase per month | €24.50 |
“Children” here means dependants.
Working while on benefit
If you take a job while still entitled, DYPA’s work benefit lets you keep 50% of the basic amount, €282.50 a month, for the rest of the benefit period. It replaces the unemployment benefit rather than adding to it, and it is meant to make taking a lower-paid job worthwhile.