In 2022, nearly one in seven employees in the European Union (EU) was classified as a low-wage earner, with Greece ranking among the countries with the highest proportions.
According to recent data, 14.7% of EU employees earned two-thirds or less of the median gross hourly wage in their respective countries. This marked a decrease from 16.2% in 2018.
Greece’s High Proportion of Low-Wage Earners
Greece stood out with 21.7% of its workforce categorised as low-wage earners, placing it among the top six EU countries with the highest proportions. Only Bulgaria (26.8%), Romania (23.9%), Latvia (23.3%), and Estonia (21.2%) had higher shares. In contrast, Portugal recorded the lowest share at just 1.8%, followed by Sweden (4.1%) and Finland (6.5%).
Gender Disparities Persist
Across the EU, women were more likely to be low-wage earners than men. In 2022, 17.1% of female employees fell into this category, compared to 12.6% of men. The trend was similar in 2018 when the figures were 18.2% for women and 12.5% for men.
Youth and Lower Education Levels More Affected
Young workers were particularly vulnerable to low wages. In the EU, 25.2% of employees under 30 were classified as low-wage earners, while the figures dropped to 12.1% for those aged 30-49 and 13.4% for employees over 50.
Education levels also played a significant role. Employees with lower educational attainment had the highest share of low wages (27.5%), while those with medium education levels stood at 17.5%. Highly educated workers were least affected, with just 4.8% earning low wages.
Employment Sectors and Contract Types Influence Wages
Certain industries in the EU had a higher prevalence of low-wage earners. The accommodation and food service sector had the highest proportion (35.1%), followed by administrative and support service activities (32.3%).
Additionally, contract type played a role. Among employees with temporary contracts, 27.2% were low-wage earners, compared to 12.6% of those with permanent contracts.
Greece’s Position in the EU Wage Landscape
While the overall EU share of low-wage earners has declined since 2018, Greece remains among the countries with a high proportion of workers earning below-average wages. The data highlights ongoing economic challenges and disparities within the Greek labour market, reinforcing the need for targeted policies to improve wage conditions and job stability in the country.
(Source: Eurostat)
