Cypriot parliament approves civil service recruitment reforms

The plenary of the House of Representatives of Cyprus unanimously passed two bills on November 5, 2026, aimed at streamlining the recruitment process for the civil service. These legislative changes amend the Public Service Law to accelerate administrative procedures, notably reducing the deadline for competent authorities to submit proposals to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for filling vacant positions from four months to two months following the vacancy's occurrence.

Under the new regulations, which will take effect on January 1, 2028, announcements for entry-level positions will be moved to the first two months of each year, replacing the current four-month window. A specific transitional provision is in place for 2027, requiring that all such vacancies be published within the first half of that year. Additionally, the second bill establishes transitional arrangements for written selection examinations, which are scheduled to take place between January and April 2027 to facilitate future appointments.

These reforms are designed to modernize public sector hiring by shortening the timeframes previously required for identifying and advertising open posts. The authorities have ensured that the transition period during 2027 provides a clear framework before the permanent changes are fully implemented in early 2028.