Cyprus maintains high employment rate in second quarter of 2026

According to data released by Eurostat on September 11, 2026, the employment rate for individuals aged 20 to 64 in Cyprus remained unchanged at 82.3% during the second quarter of 2026. This figure places Cyprus 5.9 percentage points above the European Union average, which saw a marginal increase from 76.3% in the first quarter to 76.4% in the second. The stability in the Cypriot labor market follows a period of growth that saw the rate rise from 81.3% in the third quarter of 2025 to its current record-high level.

Across the 27 EU member states, 14 countries recorded an increase in employment rates, four remained stable, and nine saw declines. Portugal and Malta led the gains with 0.6 percentage point increases each, while Greece followed with a 0.5-point rise. Conversely, Austria experienced the sharpest decline, falling by 0.4 percentage points. Additionally, Eurostat reported that the unused labor force in the EU stood at 11% of the extended labor force for the same period. This indicator covers individuals with an unmet need for employment, reflecting broader labor market trends beyond standard unemployment statistics.