Jobs in Crete

This Jobs in Crete Page is from the Completely Crete Making a Living in Crete section.

Rules and fees last checked: October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you act.

EU citizens can work in Crete without a work permit, as employees or as self-employed people. The EU's Your Europe guide to working abroad in the EU confirms this right for every EU national. UK nationals lost this automatic right after Brexit, unless they already lived in Greece before 1 January 2021.

Any EU national can apply for any job in most sectors, whatever their nationality. Such non-Greeks though are excluded from the military and jobs relating to public administration or security, such as the police, for example.

However, unless you speak Greek fluently (or better in some circumstances), your Cretan career aspirations may need to be limited to (mainly seasonal) jobs in the catering, leisure and holiday industries.

Working in Crete as a UK National After Brexit

UK nationals who moved to Greece after 31 December 2020 need a Greek visa or residence permit that allows them to work. GOV.UK's guide to travelling to Greece for work sets out 3 main routes for British workers:

• National visas for temporary work, such as seasonal work for up to 6 months or tour guiding for up to 8 months.
• Long-term residence permits for employment with a company in Greece on a Greek contract.
• Digital nomad visas for remote work for employers or clients outside Greece.

A Greek employer who wants to hire you on a long-term contract applies to the Greek immigration authorities for approval first. GOV.UK describes this as a labour market test, in which the job goes to a British applicant only if no suitable candidate from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein is found. Employers may also ask for a UK police certificate and a copy of your Greek criminal record. GOV.UK last updated this guide in April 2024, so check the current process with the Greek consulate or the Ministry of Migration and Asylum before you apply.

UK nationals who have lived in Greece legally since before 1 January 2021 do not need a work permit, because the Withdrawal Agreement protects their right to work. Their proof is the biometric residence document known as the Engrafo Diamonis 18(4). Our guide to living in Crete explains the residence rules after Brexit. Other non-EU nationals apply under the same Greek permit categories.

Recognition of Qualifications in Greece

Foreign qualifications may need formal recognition before you can work in Greece, especially in a regulated profession. GOV.UK names the Interdisciplinary Organisation for the Recognition of Academic Qualifications and Information (DOATAP, in Greek) as the body for academic degrees. The Ministry of Education recognises professional qualifications, and the professional equivalence of a degree, under Presidential Decree 38/2010. The Greek government's EUGO portal explains the recognition procedure for professional qualifications, including the fee and the online application. The British Embassy cannot confirm the validity of UK qualifications, according to GOV.UK.

Jobs in Crete for English Speakers

English speakers in Crete find most work in tourism, travel companies and estate agencies.

Summer Jobs

Summer work is the easiest way into a job in Crete for English speakers. Many bars and restaurants in the resorts around Crete post notices in English seeking staff for the summer. Casual seasonal jobs in bars, hotels and restaurants are plentiful during the season. UK nationals without Withdrawal Agreement rights need a seasonal work visa for these jobs, which GOV.UK says requires an employment contract and approval from the regional decentralised administration in Greece.

Expect long hours, hot hard work, and poor pay. However, on the upside, you'll most likely make a lot in tips and you are working in Crete – which can't be that bad!

Look out for "Staff Wanted" signs in bars, shops and restaurants, and ask local taverna owners if they know anyone looking for staff. In the busy resorts such as Malia, Stalis, Hersonisoss and Platanias there are hundreds of job opportunities for those prepared to work hard.

Travel Companies

Tour operators seek tour reps around November for the following season and will hold group selection workshops in major cities in the UK.

These resemble a cross between an X Factor audition and a team building exercise. The interviewers are looking for bright, bubbly and customer service aware staff. Often 30 or so hopefuls turn up at a designated city hotel and spend all day trying to impress the interview panel. Great fun for all concerned, particularly if you get a position offered to you.

More ad hoc employment is available from the tour reps once the season is under way, and they need help with airport transfers. Tour operators will have offices in the resorts, but you can go to the airport and ask too. A UK tour operator's rep needs the right Greek visa, and GOV.UK lists a national visa for tour guides of up to 8 months.

Estate Agency

Property sales and development are big business in Crete. Estate agencies that sell to expats often look for English speakers to work in the office and act as sales reps. You still need the right to work in Greece before you accept a job.

This is often the way that many ex-pats start their careers in Crete. You can contact them via email with CV and a pitch for yourself - check out our Crete Real Estate Agents to get in touch. It covers the prefectures of Chania, Rethymno, Iraklio and Lasithi.

Other Ways to Make a Living in Crete

Teaching English is another common job for native English speakers in Crete. Tourism also employs holiday reps and transfer reps as well as seasonal bar staff and waiters.

Self-employment suits people with a transferable trade or profession, such as painters, carpenters, builders, hairdressers and English teachers. Making a legal living as a self-employed person in Crete is difficult, so research the registration requirements for your trade before you move.

Starting your own business is a third option, such as buying or renting a bar, restaurant, club or shop. Research any business idea thoroughly before you commit any money. Our guide to starting a business in Crete covers the practical steps.