The Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026 reports an unemployment rate of 4%, with a labour force of 531,511 persons, compared to 5% in the same period last year.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the first quarter of 2026 indicates that the unemployment rate is 4.0%. The labour force comprised 531,511 persons, representing 64.7% of the population, compared to 519,433 persons (64.4%) in the same quarter of 2025.
The number of employed persons was 510,265, with an employment rate of 62.1%. The employment rate for the age group 20–64 was 81.5%, with 86.0% for males and 77.3% for females. The sector distribution shows 81.8% of employed persons in services, 16.3% in manufacturing, and 1.9% in agriculture.
The part-time employment share was 8.9%, totaling 45,173 persons, with females representing 10.7%. Of the employed, 90.0% were employees, with 14.5% on temporary contracts. The unemployment rate among youth aged 15–24 was 13.1%, with a higher rate for females (10.5%) than males (15.8%).
The survey follows the European Union Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 and covers 3,800 households across Cyprus. Changes in methodology since 2021 have not affected the comparability of results. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted employment and unemployment figures during this period.
For more information, visit the official source at the CYSTAT portal or contact the relevant officials listed in the methodological details.
