Cyprus leads EU in long working hours for care sector employees

Cyprus has been identified as having the highest proportion of long-term care workers in the European Union working excessive hours, according to the European Commission’s European Employment and Social Outlook 2026 report. The data indicates that 27.9% of care personnel, including those looking after the elderly and individuals with disabilities, work 49 hours or more per week. In contrast, this figure is as low as 1.5% in the Netherlands.

In addition to the high prevalence of long shifts, Cyprus also ranks first in the EU for involuntary temporary employment within the care sector. The report highlights broader systemic issues across Europe, noting that while the sector often involves low wages and informal employment, official statistics may underestimate the actual pressures faced by workers due to undeclared work. Across the EU, approximately 11% of care workers are classified as low-paid, a figure that has decreased by 3.5 percentage points since 2014, although working hours across the union have simultaneously risen by 3.5 percentage points over the last decade.