Unemployment in Cyprus declined in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Labour Force Survey published by the Statistical Service.
The number of unemployed people stood at 21,246, with the unemployment rate at 4.0% of the labour force (4.0% for both men and women), compared with 26,161 people (5.0%) in the same period of 2025.
Youth unemployment rises
Among people aged 15–24, unemployment increased to 13.1%, up from 11.2% a year earlier.
- Men: 15.8% (from 13.0%)
- Women: 10.5% (from 9.2%)
Duration of unemployment
Most unemployed people were out of work for shorter periods:
- 63.9% were unemployed for less than six months
- 15.8% for six to eleven months
- 20.3% were long‑term unemployed
In the first quarter of 2025, the respective figures were 61.3%, 15.2% and 23.5%.
Employment
The number of employed persons rose to 510,265, with the employment rate reaching 62.1% (66.8% for men and 49.3% for women), compared with 493,272 people (61.2%) a year earlier.
For those aged 20–64, the employment rate stood at 81.5%:
- Men: 86.0%
- Women: 77.3%
This compares with 80.0% in the same period of 2025.
Among those aged 55–64, employment reached 70.9%, slightly up from 69.9% a year earlier.
Sector and work patterns
Employment remained concentrated in services, which accounted for 81.8% of jobs.
- Industry: 16.3%
- Agriculture: 1.9%
Part‑time employment accounted for 8.9% of total employment, or 45,173 people (7.2% of men and 10.7% of women).
Of all employed persons, 90.0% (459,205 people) were employees, with 14.5% of them in temporary work, up from 12.9% a year earlier.
Labour force
The total labour force reached 531,511 people, equivalent to 64.7% of the population (69.6% for men and 60.1% for women), compared with 519,433 (64.4%) in the first quarter of 2025.
