Finding a summer job in Greece has changed little in the past 10 years, but the job climate for illegal jobs has changed significantly with new laws, stepped up enforcement and the expansion of the EU to include Bulgaria and Romania. Anyone interested in working in a bar, cafe or club on a Greek island or even seaside on the mainland should read, “Getting a summer job in Greece,” in addition to this FAQ.

* Article last updated on February 27, 2010

Are there summer jobs in Greece for Americans?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for Canadians?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for Australians?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for _______ ?

In a word, ‘no.’ Specifying nationality in jobs ads is illegal, and jobs aren’t listed like that.

Have you ever seen a job in the United States, Canada or Australia advertised like this: “Jobs for Italians” or “Jobs for expats only.” I haven’t. So if you’re looking for a job in Greece, you are competing against everyone. Searching for “Jobs in Greece” is more accurate. (Use links in the 3rd column for that)

The only time I’ve seen nationality specified is when an employer wants Greek or EU citizens, and this is because they are seeking candidates with authorization to work in the EU, aka, they don’t want non-EU citizens. It might even be more subtle, such as: “British English native speakers only.”

Sometimes there are ads specifying, “Foreign women,” but this is usually because an employer wants women for gentlemen bars or cheap housekeepers, live-in child care, etc.

Can an American find a summer job in Greece?
Can a Canadian find a summer job in Greece?
Can an Australian find a summer job in Greece?
Can a ____ (non-EU citizen) find a summer job in Greece?

Yes and no.

Yes, if you’re only looking for illegal work, low wages, working conditions that range from poor to mediocre, and don’t mind being fired or otherwise let go for any reason.

No, if you’re looking for legal work and a permit to stay in Greece.

Why is it considered illegal if I work for the summer in Greece as an American/Canadian/Australian/non-EU citizen?

Because all Americans, Canadians, Australians and other non-EU citizens in Greece with only a Schengen or national visa are not permitted to work legally. You can only work legally if you have a permit. See, “How Americans/non-EU citizens can live and work in Greece” if you are unfamiliar with visas and permits.

Why won’t an employer give me a permit to work in Greece?

In a nutshell, getting a Greek residence/work permit is an expensive and lengthy process taking several months that involves getting approval from authorities, issuing a work visa through the Greek Consulate in your homeland and putting up a huge deposit to hire you. It’s simply not worth all of that bureaucracy and expense for summer work, when there are plenty of other workers available who don’t need a permit.

It must also be proven that no Greek or EU citizen can fill this vacancy, and this is why you must be hired and given a permit. For bar work or casual summer jobs, there is no basis for authorities to approve this. Even for regular non-summer jobs in Greece, this rarely happens. A Greek newspaper published official stats that showed no new permits were issued to Americans in 2007; there were only renewals.

Is it easy to get a summer job in Greece?

It was much easier to get a summer job 10 or even 2 years ago, than it is today. But it also depends on your qualifications, what you’re willing to accept and your definition of ‘easy.’ If you think a job is going to drop out of the sky without doing some work, then ‘no.’

Also, maybe you heard, Greece is in an economic crisis predicted to last until the end of 2011; and the current government is cracking down on illegal workers and tax evasion. It’s less likely an employer will hire someone illegally with stepped-up enforcement and fines.

Why is it harder now?

Several reasons:

a) The EU has expanded to include Eastern European nations. That means there are plenty of workers who are already legal (need no permit), and are also willing to accept wages lower than most Americans, Canadians or Australians would. There are a number of illegal workers from Asia and the Middle East who are working here for as little as 23 euros a day under deplorable conditions, and EU citizens being tricked into working for 1 euro a day on farms.

b) Fines and penalties for employers hiring illegal workers have increased and now include jail time. Thus, unless an employer is absolutely sure he/she won’t be caught or has connections or money to bribe officials, it’s simply not worth the risk.

c) A new law was passed in December 2007 requiring certain American and other non-EU citizens to provide proof of financial means when applying for a visa or when entering Greece. See, “Non-EU travelers to Greece need 50 euros a day.” This is an attempt to cut down on the number of Americans, Canadians and Australians who work illegally in Greece every summer and overstay their visa.

d) Enforcement has stepped up. Since 2008, police checks are more frequent and I know a greater number of people who have lost their illegal jobs or simply weren’t hired and had to go home.

e) The Greek government is in favor of tightening borders and immigration. It’s no secret that Greece and France are cooperating to close borders.

f) Any non-EU citizen caught working illegally in Greece (or anywhere in the EU) may be jailed for 18 months before deportation starting January 2010, according to a new law drafted by the European Union.

g) It’s not as cheap to live in Greece as it used to be. A lot of people hear stories from relatives and friends who were here a decade ago when it was relatively inexpensive to live here, and how great it was to work on an island, go to the beach every day, go to work and party every night. You can still do that, it’s just more expensive since Greece entered the euro zone, and a lot of people find that it’s harder to make ends meet while salaries have increased little or not at all. Many must share a two-bedroom flat/apartment with four people in order to save money. Plus, if you overstay your visa, it will cost you between 600-1300 euros in fines — that’s more than most people earn in a month.

An article published in January 2010 revealed that 10,000 businesses were forced to shut down in Greece, and unemployment reached 18% in some age groups.

Where do I look for summer jobs in Greece?
How do I find a job in Greece?

Typically, you would search a number of classified ads and any normal methods you use, just as you would back home. There are a number of links in the 3rd column to get you started. The best ads are in Greek.

Preferably, you would show up in person on the island or location of interest and interview on the spot with an employer because quite honestly, he/she will want to see what you look like.

There’s no way to know exactly where to go because there might be a ton of jobs in one place this week, but by the time you get here next month, they might all be gone. That’s why it’s best to show up early in the season, not in June or July.

Are there a lot of summer job classified ads this year?

Like every year, there are a great number listed right now. But of the 1,000 ads I saw today, only 10 were in English. They’re all in Greek and in Greek newspapers, which basically means they are all legal jobs for anyone who can speak Greek and has authorization/permit to work in Greece. This may reflect what I said earlier about the job climate being different due to laws, enforcement and fines. Maybe not, but nevertheless it’s a reality.

The 10 that were in English in a Greek newspaper wanted: Someone speaking both Greek and English to work in the center of Athens (presumably so the owner could escape to his village or island); a girl for a pub that I know has a terrible reputation for not paying on time; and a few positions at resorts on faraway islands in positions that demanded no language requirement (bell boy, room cleaner, laundry).

There were no ads in English-language newspapers for summer jobs; those don’t usually appear until later when employers become desperate and are in a position to attract equally desperate tourists getting low on funds.

Where can I find ads for illegal jobs?

Illegal jobs won’t be advertised in regular newspapers unless employers who place them want to be visited by police. Some employers post in unknown forums and see who comes to them, but I question the quality of these jobs.

Most employers with illegal jobs wait for candidates to come see them in person.

Should I post in a forum?

No.

Why not?

Because getting a summer job, or any job, requires that you apply for open vacancies offered by bars, cafes and hotels that are actually looking for people.

Good employers don’t have time to search forums for candidates, write down everyone’s name, address and phone number, then spend the time and money on an international call to give you a job. They figure if you want the job badly enough, you will take action and the initiative to contact them. If you don’t, there are plenty who will.

If employers do have time to troll forums for candidates and call you, I would seriously question the character of the employer and the quality of the job.

Are you saying I shouldn’t answer a job for Greece advertised in a forum?

No, I’m saying you shouldn’t post your own details asking for a job. There’s nothing wrong with answering an ad from someone who says they have a job vacancy.

Do you know anyone who has gotten a summer job in Greece by leaving their name, phone number or e-mail in a forum?

No. Not a single person in the 11 years I’ve been here.

Everyone I know who got a summer job in Greece has applied to an ad by phone or showed up in person.

I know people who were promised jobs via e-mail or phone, but then showed up only to find the employer had hired someone else who was physically here in Greece. As there were no contracts or anything legally binding the employers to keep these promises, these people then had to find work somewhere else or go home. Most ended up going home when funds ran out because they had no backup plan or savings and had come too late to find anything else.

Is speaking English enough?

Sometimes, sometimes not.

Some hotels or bars with a predominantly English-speaking clientele don’t mind if you can’t speak another language, or if you’re applying for a position in which you have very little contact with customers, i.e., IT technician, barman taking orders only from waitresses who all speak English, DJ, etc.

Sometimes it’s helpful if you at least speak some Greek. Remember that Greeks go on vacation in summer as well, and they are not required to speak English in order to be in their own country.

Most people I know who got summer jobs in Greece very easily are multilingual. Nikos was hired immediately because he spoke German, and Kos is a popular destination for Germans. George speaks English, Greek and Italian and was hired immediately on Skiathos. I worked in Rhodes for a summer speaking mostly English, but sometimes Greek and French. The only person I know who didn’t speak another language and had no experience ever working in a bar/restaurant was a girl who had enormous bre@sts — you can draw your own conclusions from that.

Will a summer job come with accommodation?

There is a trend to not offer it anymore, but it really depends on what you find and if there is room to negotiate. Alex and I both had accommodation and food included with our jobs, but George and Nikos did not. Christy got food, but still had to pay for her own apartment.

Is it easier for women to find summer jobs in Greece?

Yes, especially if you are under 30 and attractive.

Some ads specifically state an age limitation because younger women are perceived to be easily controlled and more willing to accept certain conditions and lower pay, while also appealing to men of all ages.

Men find jobs too, so don’t be discouraged by this news.

I’m planning to be in Greece in June, can I still find a summer job?

Like I’ve said before, all of the good jobs are secured through connections or advertised and gone by April or May. But it’s not impossible if you’re not picky.

I encourage everyone to read:

1. Getting a summer job in Greece
2. One day on the island of Ios
3. Non-EU travelers need 50 euros a day
4. Overstaying a visa in Greece

* Further questions will not be answered at this time, as 20 of the most popular ones were addressed above with first-hand experience and wisdom so you can make educated decisions instead of finding out the hard way. Thank you.