The number of Greeks living abroad who are returning to Greece is increasing, according to the findings of the OECD Diaspora Review Greece, a study prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in cooperation with the National Documentation Centre and Electronic Content (EKT). The study was presented for the first time on Friday, July 3, at a special event organized by the General Secretariat for Coordination of the Presidency of the Government and EKT. (The report is available in English.)
According to the study, in recent years Greece’s relationship with Greeks living and working abroad has acquired a new dynamic, characterized by a gradual reversal of migration flows.
The report provides a comprehensive overview of the Greek diaspora in OECD member countries, mapping migration trends over recent decades and highlighting the demographic, educational, and professional characteristics of Greeks living and working abroad.
Specifically, it records:
– Migration trends and geographical distribution. The report outlines the size, geographical distribution, and historical development of the Greek diaspora across OECD countries. It also analyzes recent migration trends and the emigration intentions of Greek citizens.
– Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of Greek migrants and their families, including gender, age, and educational attainment. The analysis highlights the composition and evolution of the diaspora’s human capital.
– Labour market integration and skills. The study examines the participation of Greek migrants in the labour market, including employment, unemployment, and their distribution across occupational sectors. It also analyzes their skills, the phenomenon of overqualification, and entrepreneurial activity.
– Return to Greece. The report analyzes repatriation trends and the factors influencing them. It also examines policies and best practices that can strengthen the attraction and reintegration of Greeks from the diaspora.
– International mobility, educational attainment, and research activity among Greek students and researchers, as well as their demographic and professional characteristics. The duration of their stay abroad and their prospects of returning to Greece are also examined.
– Human capital utilization strategies. Existing policies, as well as proposed interventions that could strengthen the connection between the diaspora and Greece and better utilize its human capital, are presented.
Key Findings
According to the study’s findings:
– Since 2021, there has been a steady increase in the number of Greek citizens returning to Greece.
– The year 2023 marked a turning point: for the first time since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2009, the country experienced a shift from brain drain to brain gain.
– During the two-year period 2023–2024, 69,000 people left Greece, while 98,000 returned.
– Of every 10 Greek citizens who left the country between 2010 and 2025, six have returned.
– Greece ranks fourth among OECD countries in terms of the return of its citizens.
– Recent returnees tend to be younger and more highly educated than the general population.
– In recent years, a more outward-looking and development-oriented approach has emerged in Greece’s relationship with its diaspora.
– Ninety-three percent of Greek migrants reside in just 12 OECD countries, with Germany, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada serving as the principal destinations.
– Over the past decade, Greek migration has gradually shifted toward more intra-European mobility patterns.
– Policies aimed at encouraging returns should be adapted according to country of residence, age, profession, degree of connection with Greece, and the specific needs of each group.
– The main challenge is not only reversing the brain drain but also transitioning to a comprehensive model for managing the international mobility of Greeks.
– The diaspora should also be leveraged through organized initiatives involving mentoring, venture capital, business internationalization, market access, technology transfer, and public-private sector cooperation.
– The return of young and highly skilled Greeks requires policies that promote labour-market reintegration, meritocracy, support for entrepreneurship, and the creation of attractive conditions for living and career development in Greece.
– A permanent intergovernmental mechanism is needed to strengthen ties with the diaspora and support the return of Greeks to their homeland.
