Employing in Greece

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Expanding into
Greece

Global expansion is a step to make for any business, regardless of what you wish to achieve. The opportunities that can come with an expansion can be both incredibly exciting as well as intimidating and confusing, especially when you consider all of the registration procedures that needs to be done and documentation required.

Academy of Athens, Attica, Greece
Academy of Athens, Attica, Greece

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Expanding to countries such as Greece – which is characterized by a highly educated and international workforce, multifaceted employment and tax laws, a robust infrastructure network linking to the rest of Europe, and leading sectors in agriculture, shipping and shipbuilding, tourism, mining, tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, and petroleum – can bring both excitement to the possibilities, but also significant stress to ensuring the entity with the country’s rigorous legal structures and laws.

Ensuring compliance without the sufficient knowledge of the country’s laws also adds to the stress of getting your new entity off the ground and ready to test new markets. Going at it without the proper support can increase the costs, time and risks involved.

Each new markets bring new challenges, and these can be worked through more efficiently and cost-effectively with the support of an International Professional Employer Organization (PEO) such as Bradford Jacobs, especially through our Employer of Record (EOR) framework.

This can be best utilized when businesses are just beginning their expansion process and require more information before committing to incorporating an entity and fully establishing themselves in that market.

Country EOR Guide - Bradford Jacobs

Download our Guide to Greece

Learn all about expanding into Greece and see what we can do to make your expansion easier.

Download our Guide to Greece

Learn all about expanding into Greece and see what we can do to make your expansion easier.

Country EOR Guide - Bradford Jacobs

Hiring Staff
in Greece

Hiring Staff
in Greece

The Main Sectors of the Greek Economy

The country focuses on the following key sectors, which all have a significant impact on the country’s economy:

Greece is a major agricultural producer in the European Union, and the sector employs about 528,000 people or approximately 12% of the workforce in the country. Agriculture in the country accounts for about 3.6% of the GDP valued at about $16 billion. The majority of the immigrants in the country are employed within the agriculture industry.

Agriculture in Greece is characterized by a small size and family hold units, and the cooperative organization in the country has remained relatively low for several years. The country produces different varieties of crops and different types of livestock products.

Currently, agriculture in the country is heavily subsidized through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The country is a world leader in olive production with 2,232,412 metric tons, olive oil production with 344,615 tons, fig production with 50,368 metric tons. The country also produces 8,000 tons of pistachios, 229,500 tons of rice, 44,000 tons of almonds, 1.4 million tons of tomatoes, 578,000 tons of watermelons, and 22,000 tons of tobacco.

Tourism in the country plays a critical role in the economy, and it is one of the most crucial industries in Greece accounting for about 25% of the country’s GDP. Tourism in Greece has a long history although it started flourishing after the 1950s when the tourist arrivals were recorded at 33,000 in 1950 and went up to stand at 11.4 million in 1994.

In 2018, the country attracted more than 24 million tourists and the figures in 2017 were 22.1 million, while in 2015 the figures stood at 21 million visitors. These figures indicate that Greece is one of the most visited nations in Europe on the world at large. Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the country is responsible for the overall tourism management, while the Greek National Tourism Organization is responsible for promoting tourism in the country.

The country has been one of the leading tourism destinations in Europe dating back to antiquity because of its rich history and culture which is partly seen in the 18 different UNESCO World Heritage sites. The country has numerous islands, with estimates between 1,200 and 6,000. Some of the popular tourist destinations in the country include the country’s capital city of Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes, Chalkidiki, and Crete, among others.

The government of Greece has in the recent past focused on promoting religious tourism, particularly in areas of the significant historical religious present like the monasteries in Mount Athos and Meteora.

The manufacturing sector in Greece, despite its smaller share in the economy compared to the European average, still plays a major role and has a considerable impact, both in terms of economic output and social cohesion, due to strong multiplier effects.

The overall impact of the manufacturing sector on the country’s GDP exceeds €55 billion (31%). Employment in manufacturing also contributes to 31.3 % of total employment in Greece. Manufacturing is one of the largest employers in the country, after trade and agriculture and roughly at the same level as hotels and restaurants (ELSTAT, 2nd quarter 2015).

Mining of different minerals in Greece has a long history and dates back to about 1000 BCE. Despite the long history of minerals in the country, the industry has contributed very little to the economy of Greece. Some of the minerals found in Greece include zinc, lead lignite, magnesite, bauxite, and petroleum.

As of 2015, the country was the 7th leading exporter of pumice in the world, and by far the world’s largest producer of perlite. Greece produces approximately 1% of the total bauxite in the world and about 9% of all the bentonite produced in the world.

The mining industry in the country processes the produced mineral fuels, metals, industrial minerals. The mining industry in Greece is harmonized by the mining code, which stipulates several regulations and laws on the extraction of ornamental rocks and industrial minerals. The code also states the safety and health factors for various quarrying and mining.

The Main Sectors of the Greek Economy

The country focuses on the following key sectors, which all have a significant impact on the country’s economy:

Acropolis Athens, Greece
Greece is a major agricultural producer in the European Union, and the sector employs about 528,000 people or approximately 12% of the workforce in the country. Agriculture in the country accounts for about 3.6% of the GDP valued at about $16 billion. The majority of the immigrants in the country are employed within the agriculture industry.

Agriculture in Greece is characterized by a small size and family hold units, and the cooperative organization in the country has remained relatively low for several years. The country produces different varieties of crops and different types of livestock products.

Currently, agriculture in the country is heavily subsidized through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The country is a world leader in olive production with 2,232,412 metric tons, olive oil production with 344,615 tons, fig production with 50,368 metric tons. The country also produces 8,000 tons of pistachios, 229,500 tons of rice, 44,000 tons of almonds, 1.4 million tons of tomatoes, 578,000 tons of watermelons, and 22,000 tons of tobacco.

Tourism in the country plays a critical role in the economy, and it is one of the most crucial industries in Greece accounting for about 25% of the country’s GDP. Tourism in Greece has a long history although it started flourishing after the 1950s when the tourist arrivals were recorded at 33,000 in 1950 and went up to stand at 11.4 million in 1994.

In 2018, the country attracted more than 24 million tourists and the figures in 2017 were 22.1 million, while in 2015 the figures stood at 21 million visitors. These figures indicate that Greece is one of the most visited nations in Europe on the world at large. Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the country is responsible for the overall tourism management, while the Greek National Tourism Organization is responsible for promoting tourism in the country.

The country has been one of the leading tourism destinations in Europe dating back to antiquity because of its rich history and culture which is partly seen in the 18 different UNESCO World Heritage sites. The country has numerous islands, with estimates between 1,200 and 6,000. Some of the popular tourist destinations in the country include the country’s capital city of Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes, Chalkidiki, and Crete, among others.

The government of Greece has in the recent past focused on promoting religious tourism, particularly in areas of the significant historical religious present like the monasteries in Mount Athos and Meteora.

The manufacturing sector in Greece, despite its smaller share in the economy compared to the European average, still plays a major role and has a considerable impact, both in terms of economic output and social cohesion, due to strong multiplier effects.

The overall impact of the manufacturing sector on the country’s GDP exceeds €55 billion (31%). Employment in manufacturing also contributes to 31.3 % of total employment in Greece. Manufacturing is one of the largest employers in the country, after trade and agriculture and roughly at the same level as hotels and restaurants (ELSTAT, 2nd quarter 2015).

Mining of different minerals in Greece has a long history and dates back to about 1000 BCE. Despite the long history of minerals in the country, the industry has contributed very little to the economy of Greece. Some of the minerals found in Greece include zinc, lead lignite, magnesite, bauxite, and petroleum.

As of 2015, the country was the 7th leading exporter of pumice in the world, and by far the world’s largest producer of perlite. Greece produces approximately 1% of the total bauxite in the world and about 9% of all the bentonite produced in the world.

The mining industry in the country processes the produced mineral fuels, metals, industrial minerals. The mining industry in Greece is harmonized by the mining code, which stipulates several regulations and laws on the extraction of ornamental rocks and industrial minerals. The code also states the safety and health factors for various quarrying and mining.

Commercial Laws in
Greece

  • Tax Administration in Greece – a competency of the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance is divided into separate General Directorates (such as Administrative Support, Taxation, Tax Audits, State Property, Customs and Special Duties, Financial Inspection, Budget & Payroll, etc.). In the lower level of tax administration are the local tax offices and local customs offices.
  • Internal Revenue Offices – Greece is divided into administrative areas, with each of them operating one or more tax offices known as “D.O.Y”. For the taxation of each individual, the competent tax office for the receipt, processing and clearance of tax returns is the tax office of their area of residence. For the taxation of sole traders and professionals, the competent tax office is the office of the area where they exercise their business/profession.For individuals residing abroad, there is a special tax office in Athens.
  • The Labor Inspectorate Body (S.E.P.E) – Its role is to enforce labor legislation in the private and public sectors, to protect the legal rights of the employees and to secure the health, safety and welfare of workers in Greece. The S.EP.E reports directly to the Minister of Employment and Social Protection and is under the supervision of a Special Secretary, appointed by the Government.

In Greece, written employment contracts are not common practice. However, under the Labor Code (Presidential Decree 156/1994), employers must notify their employers of the material terms of the contract in writing.

This applies to both indefinite and fixed term contracts, as well as working relationships of a duration exceeding 1 month. This information must be provided for the employee no later than 2 months after they started work, in one of the following ways (chosen by the employer):

  1. In an employment contract
  2. In another document

The material terms that must be included in one of these documents are as follows:

  • Details of the contracting parties (employer and employee)
  • Place at which work is to be performed, the registered office of the company or the home address of the employer
  • The employee’s post and grade or employment category, and their work duties
  • The date of the commencement of the employment contract and its duration (if fixed term)
  • Paid leave entitlements (duration, time, manner)
  • Compensation payable and notice requirements in the event of contract termination
  • All forms of earnings to which the employee is entitled to
  • Employee’s daily and weekly working hours
  • Applicable collective agreement which establishes the employee’s minimum terms of wage and employment.

Failure to provide the employee with one of these documents results in a fine but does not invalidate the employment contract.

Income Tax: Any individual earning an income in Greece must pay local taxes, regardless of their residential status. Permanent residents are also taxed on any income received from outside the country.

Individuals must file their taxes annually – the payment deadline is June 30th of the following year. Filing tax returns is normally done online via the national tax portal (IAPR). For income tax return filing (single or joint), it is mandatory for a taxpayer to obtain a Greek tax registration number (also known as an AFM number).

For more information on contributions an benefits Download our Greece Guide…

Commercial Laws in
Greece

Sunset at Oia town, Santorini, Greece
  • Tax Administration in Greece – a competency of the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance is divided into separate General Directorates (such as Administrative Support, Taxation, Tax Audits, State Property, Customs and Special Duties, Financial Inspection, Budget & Payroll, etc.). In the lower level of tax administration are the local tax offices and local customs offices.
  • Internal Revenue Offices – Greece is divided into administrative areas, with each of them operating one or more tax offices known as “D.O.Y”. For the taxation of each individual, the competent tax office for the receipt, processing and clearance of tax returns is the tax office of their area of residence. For the taxation of sole traders and professionals, the competent tax office is the office of the area where they exercise their business/profession.For individuals residing abroad, there is a special tax office in Athens.
  • The Labor Inspectorate Body (S.E.P.E) – Its role is to enforce labor legislation in the private and public sectors, to protect the legal rights of the employees and to secure the health, safety and welfare of workers in Greece. The S.EP.E reports directly to the Minister of Employment and Social Protection and is under the supervision of a Special Secretary, appointed by the Government.

In Greece, written employment contracts are not common practice. However, under the Labor Code (Presidential Decree 156/1994), employers must notify their employers of the material terms of the contract in writing.

This applies to both indefinite and fixed term contracts, as well as working relationships of a duration exceeding 1 month. This information must be provided for the employee no later than 2 months after they started work, in one of the following ways (chosen by the employer):

  1. In an employment contract
  2. In another document

The material terms that must be included in one of these documents are as follows:

  • Details of the contracting parties (employer and employee)
  • Place at which work is to be performed, the registered office of the company or the home address of the employer
  • The employee’s post and grade or employment category, and their work duties
  • The date of the commencement of the employment contract and its duration (if fixed term)
  • Paid leave entitlements (duration, time, manner)
  • Compensation payable and notice requirements in the event of contract termination
  • All forms of earnings to which the employee is entitled to
  • Employee’s daily and weekly working hours
  • Applicable collective agreement which establishes the employee’s minimum terms of wage and employment.

Failure to provide the employee with one of these documents results in a fine but does not invalidate the employment contract.

Income Tax: Any individual earning an income in Greece must pay local taxes, regardless of their residential status. Permanent residents are also taxed on any income received from outside the country.

Individuals must file their taxes annually – the payment deadline is June 30th of the following year. Filing tax returns is normally done online via the national tax portal (IAPR). For income tax return filing (single or joint), it is mandatory for a taxpayer to obtain a Greek tax registration number (also known as an AFM number).

For more information on contributions an benefits Download our Greece Guide…

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