Why Corfu?
Corfu is the British favourite. Decades of UK package tourism have baked English into the island's working language and filled it with British-owned villa operators, taverna partnerships and bar ownerships. For a first-time seasonaire, that familiarity matters: finding work, accommodation and a peer group is genuinely easier here than on most Greek islands.
The island splits into clear zones. Kavos at the southern tip is the young party strip, bars and clubs on a short coastal stretch. Sidari in the north-west is mid-tempo, family and group tourism. Paleokastritsa is the beach beauty spot, villa-heavy with watersports. Corfu Town is the Venetian capital, cultured, longer-season, and home to the hotel and restaurant jobs that run into October.
Roles & pay
Corfu's role mix skews toward villa operators, taverna and bar work, and watersports at the beach resorts. Typical openings include:
Typical monthly pay (gross)
Villa rep / host: €900–1,300 plus tips (accommodation usually included)
Bar staff: €800–1,200 plus tips
Hotel reception: €1,000–1,400
Watersports instructor: €1,000–1,500 plus commissions
Villa operators and the bigger hotels usually include shared staff accommodation. Independent taverna and bar jobs rarely do, so budget 250–400 euros for a room if renting privately.
Visas & work rights
EU citizens can work freely in Greece. You will need an AFM (tax number) and an AMKA (social security number) before starting, both free and straightforward. Most employers will walk you through the applications.
UK citizens are non-EU post-Brexit and need a type D national visa sponsored by a Greek employer before entering. It covers up to six months, tied to a specific job. Apply through the Greek consulate in London and budget six to ten weeks for processing. The common mistake is assuming Greek enforcement is relaxed: it has tightened sharply and working on a tourist entry is a real risk.
AFM and AMKA are non-negotiable
Whether you are EU or UK-sponsored, you cannot legally be paid in Greece without an AFM tax number and AMKA social security number. Applications are done at local offices, usually arranged by your employer in your first week. Bring your passport, residence proof and (for UK) your visa and residence permit.
Living in Corfu
Villa operators and the bigger hotels usually provide staff accommodation, typically shared rooms in a dedicated staff house or a flat above the property. If you are renting privately in Corfu Town or the resort villages, a room in a shared flat runs 250 to 400 euros a month, cheap by European summer standards.
Cost of living is low. A souvlaki is 3 to 4 euros, a Mythos beer in a local kafenio is 3 euros, and a taverna dinner with wine comes in around 15 to 20 euros a head. Supermarkets (AB Vasilopoulos, Lidl, Sklavenitis) are cheaper than Italian or Spanish equivalents. A scooter is the standard seasonaire transport: 100 to 150 euros a month to rent, and you need it to get between resorts on days off.
Social scene
The scene depends entirely on where you work. Kavos is relentless, the whole summer measured in late nights and beach days. Places like Atlantis, Future and Rolling Stone have run for years. Sidari is a quieter drink, more varied crowd, better for dinner. Corfu Town is proper evenings out: the Liston arcade for early drinks, Spianada for people-watching, Cavalieri rooftop for sunsets, and late bars scattered through the old town.
Days off are excellent. The island is big enough that you can spend a summer and still find new coves. The north-west coast around Paleokastritsa, Cape Drastis and Porto Timoni is genuinely world-class scenery. Boat hire with mates on a day off is a Corfu rite of passage.
When to apply
Villa operators and the bigger hotels hire earliest. Peak recruiting is January to March for a May start. Bars and tavernas hire later and messier, often April and into May as things open up. Watersports schools confirm instructors in March once they know their fleet and season outlook.
- Jan–Feb: Villa operators and longer-season hotels hire first.
- Mar–Apr: Peak hiring. Watersports and mid-size operators fill up.
- May: Season opens. Bars and tavernas finalise staff. Late hires possible.
- Jun–Aug: Replacement hiring only. Turnover opportunities in Kavos.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I work in Kavos or Corfu Town?
Kavos is the party strip, all bars, clubs, PR work and 18-to-30 tourism. Good money is possible on commission if you can handle the pace, but the season is shorter (May to September) and the work is relentlessly late-night. Corfu Town is the capital and runs longer, with more civilised hospitality, hotel jobs and restaurant work for a mixed European crowd. Paleokastritsa, Sidari and the resort villages sit in between, with more villa rep and family tourism roles.
Do I need to speak Greek?
For most seasonaire roles, no. Corfu has the longest British tourism history of any Greek island, so English is the default in bars, villa companies and tourist restaurants. Greek helps for paperwork, dealing with local suppliers, and moving beyond entry-level roles, but you can comfortably do a first season without it. A handful of Greek phrases earns genuine goodwill from colleagues and regulars.
What visa do UK citizens need for Greece after Brexit?
UK citizens are non-EU post-Brexit and need a Greek work visa sponsored by an employer before arriving. The seasonal route is a type D national visa tied to a specific job and usually valid for up to six months. Processing takes around six to ten weeks, so confirm by March for a May start. Working on a tourist entry is not legal and Greek enforcement has tightened. EU passport holders can work freely and only need an AFM (tax number) and AMKA (social security number).
How does pay compare to other Greek islands?
Corfu pay is mid-range for Greece. Typical monthly gross sits at 800 to 1,400 euros depending on role and whether accommodation is included. Mykonos and Santorini pay higher because of the luxury hotel market, often 1,400 to 2,000 euros plus much better tips. Corfu's advantage is lower cost of living and the British tourism base, which makes tips and commission on villa repping add up more predictably. Crete is similar to Corfu on pay.
What is villa rep work actually like?
Villa reps handle the arrival, week and departure for clients renting private villas, usually booked through UK operators. Typical duties include airport meet-and-greets, welcome packs, restaurant bookings, handling problems (broken aircon, lost passports, medical) and keeping the villa owner happy. It is a proper customer service job, often 24-hour on-call, with genuine autonomy. Pay is modest base plus tips and occasional commissions, typically 900 to 1,300 euros a month with shared staff accommodation included.
When does the season actually start and end?
Corfu's main season runs May to mid-October, with bars opening steadily through April for shoulder-season guests and most hotels closing by the third week of October. Kavos starts slower (late May) and ends earlier (mid-September) because it relies on young-adult package tours. Corfu Town and the longer-established resorts stretch the season on both ends, so if you want more than five months of work, apply there.
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