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Hiring subsidy for 5,000 unemployed people over 50 in private businesses (DYPA)

DYPA national resources · Active labour market policies

Δημόσια Υπηρεσία Απασχόλησης – ΔΥΠΑ, Υπουργείο Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης (Public Employment Service DYPA, Ministry of Labour and Social Security)

In plain words

If you hire an unemployed person over 50 full-time, DYPA pays for 18 months €628 a month for men, €816.40 for women or €1,004.80 for long-term unemployed people (over 3 years registered) — up to €18,086 per hire. Alternatively, under the EU block exemption rules, you get 50% of the cost up to €1,000 a month for 12 or 18 months. You must not have cut staff, and you keep the worker for the whole period.

Who can apply

Private businesses and employers anywhere in Greece with regular activity, hiring unemployed people over 50 registered with DYPA.

What it pays for

Wage and employer-contribution subsidy (including the Christmas/Easter bonuses and holiday allowance). Under de minimis, for 18 months: 50% (€628/month) for men, 65% (€816.40/month) for women, 80% (€1,004.80/month) for long-term unemployed people registered with DYPA for over 36 months. Under the EU General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER): 50% of the cost, up to €1,000/month, for 12 months (disadvantaged workers) or 18 months (severely disadvantaged).

What must be true for you

Tick what applies. Saved on this device only.

  • Private business with regular activity (excluded e.g. public bodies, KTEL bus companies, offshore firms, firms recently fined for undeclared work)
  • Under de minimis: no staff cuts in the last quarter before posting the vacancy, and none until approval
  • Under GBER: the job must be a net increase in staff compared with the average of the last 12 months
  • Keep the subsidised worker for the whole period
  • Aid caps: de minimis up to €300,000 per 3 years; under GBER up to €5.5 million a year per business

How to apply

  1. Read Ministerial Decision 24100 (Gazette B' 5166/29.09.2025) and DYPA's public call
  2. Log in to the gov.gr employer-participation service with TaxisNet credentials
  3. Post a vacancy order and choose the aid basis
  4. DYPA sends candidates; choose and hire
  5. Submit a funding application with a solemn declaration; the local DYPA office (KPA2) approves it

Where to apply: gov.gr – Συμμετοχή επιχειρήσεων/εργοδοτών σε προγράμματα ανέργων: gov.gr/ipiresies/epikheirematike-drasterioteta…

Deadline

Applications since 1 Oct 2025 (15:00) via gov.gr or DYPA e-services, with no end date, until the 5,000 places are filled or the budget runs out. On 17 Oct 2026 DYPA still listed it as an open programme; it does not publish how many places are left.

Sources we read

Research notes: Ministerial Decision 24100, ΦΕΚ Β' 5166/29.09.2025: budget up to €73,476,000 from DYPA's budget (2025 €6m, 2026 €32m, 2027 €32m, 2028 €3.476m). Applications opened 01/10/2025 15:00 (DYPA announcement). DYPA's programme page (prosvasis.dypa.gov.gr) shows 'Ανοιχτό πρόγραμμα' on 17/10/2026; remaining places are not published. Durations and monthly amounts come from DYPA's programme page and launch announcement (de minimis 18 months; GBER 12 or 18 months); the Gazette's 12/24-month figures are GBER eligibility ceilings, which our earlier text had used as the programme duration. amount_max = 18 × €1,004.80. Staff conditions per the Gazette: de minimis — no reduction in the last quarter before posting the vacancy (kept until approval); GBER — net increase against the 12-month average, in annual work units. DYPA's page summarises these as 'no reduction in the previous month / 12 months'. Retention and replacement rules are in the public call and DYPA's replacement guide, which our tools could not open. Not the separate 55+ programme, which places people in public bodies.

See also