Over the past four decades, non-EU migrants have consistently experienced higher rates of temporary and part-time employment compared to the local population. Research from 1987 to 2017 shows that these rates, along with migrant unemployment, initially increased significantly but later declined, influenced by economic crises and other factors (Kαψάλης, 2020). For example, in 2008, Greece had one of the lowest unemployment rates for non-native population in the EU at 7.2%. However, by 2013, this rate had surged to 40.3%, the highest among member states (Δρεττ´ακης, 2013).
Despite these challenges, the rate of self-employment among migrants has historically been low. Nevertheless, there has been a steady rise in migrant entrepreneurship, which indicates its potential for fostering social integration. Self-employment not only helps ensure family financial stability by potentially increasing household income and employment rates within families (Liargovas & Skandalis, 2012), but also strengthens connections with both immigrant and local communities. This dual benefit highlights migrant entrepreneurship as not just an economic strategy, but also a means of enhancing social cohesion and boosting local economies in Greece (Table 8).
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L. KRETSOS AND V. CHARITSIS