One-off aid for unemployed seafarers at Easter and Christmas (Seamen's Home)

Every year a joint ministerial decision grants one-off aid to certain categories of unemployed seafarers for Easter and Christmas. The Seamen's Home (Οίκος Ναύτου) pays it from its budget, funded by the Seafarers' Unemployment and Sickness Fund (ΚΑΑΝ).

For Christmas 2026 it goes to seafarers who meet all of the following: - more than 5 years of total sea service, of which at least 10 months in the last three years before 25/12/2026 or 20 months in the last five years; - unemployed for at least 30 days and up to 24 months since the last discharge (unemployment from 25/12/2024 to 25/11/2026); - registered as unemployed with the Seafarers' Employment Office (ΓΕΝΕ), with an unemployment card; - no pension, shipowner gift or other aid (the ΚΑΑΝ unemployment and maternity allowances and the student subsidy do not count); - no other paid work since the last discharge and no insurance with another fund.

Also eligible: seafarers unfit for any work because of a chronic illness with more than 5 years of sea service; seafarers discharged from the armed forces after 25/06/2026 with at least 2 years of sea service and registered with ΓΕΝΕ; and ΓΕΝΕ-registered seafarers who drew the ΚΑΑΝ unemployment allowance for at least 2 months after 25/12/2025 and have not been signed on for more than 1 month since.

Amount: €350 for Easter and €400 for Christmas 2026. Documents go to the Seamen's Home in Piraeus or the designated Port Authorities; for Christmas 2026 by 18 December 2026, with payment into the bank account by 22 December 2026. The Easter 2026 aid has already been paid.