**Cyprus State Workforce Reaches 53,747 in July 2026**
In July 2026, the state workforce in Cyprus grew to a total of 53,747 employees, marking an increase of 300 individuals or 0.6% from the previous year, according to data released by the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). This growth was primarily driven by expansions in the education sector and the security forces, despite a continued decline in civil service staffing.
The civil service remains the largest segment of the state workforce, although it experienced a decrease in employment by 1%, falling from 23,208 to 22,978 employees. In contrast, the educational service saw a notable increase of 2.6%, bringing its total to 16,928 employees. The security forces also added personnel, with an increase of 103 employees, resulting in a total of 13,841, which represents a growth of 0.7%.
Among the various employment categories within the state workforce, permanent employees constituted the largest group, with their numbers rising by 0.3% from 32,837 to 32,935. Employees on indefinite-duration contracts experienced the most significant growth, increasing by 1.7% from 9,348 to 9,509. Fixed-term employment also saw a rise of 1.1%, moving from 4,527 to 4,578. However, hourly paid workers saw a slight decline of 0.1%, decreasing from 6,735 to 6,725, marking the only reduction among the four employment categories.
Delving deeper into the civil service, the number of permanent employees fell by 0.7%, from 11,931 to 11,851. Indefinite-duration contracts also saw a decrease of 2.7%, dropping from 4,117 to 4,006. Additionally, hourly paid workers in the civil service declined by 2.1%, from 5,848 to 5,725. Conversely, fixed-term employment in the civil service rose significantly by 6.4%, from 1,312 to 1,396.
The educational sector presented a contrasting scenario, characterized by robust growth in non-permanent employment. While permanent employees in education experienced a slight decline of 0.2%, from 12,470 to 12,444, the number of employees on indefinite-duration contracts surged by 25.7%, from 921 to 1,158. This increase represents the highest percentage growth across all services and employment categories. Fixed-term employees in education also rose by 7.3%, reaching 3,181 compared to 2,965 in the previous year. Hourly paid employment in education remained stable, with no change reported at 145.
In the security forces, permanent employment increased by 2.4%, from 8,436 to 8,640, while indefinite-duration contracts rose by 0.8%, from 4,310 to 4,345. Notably, hourly paid workers in this sector saw a significant increase of 15.2%, climbing from 742 to 855. However, fixed-term employment in the security forces experienced a dramatic decline of 99.6%, dropping from 250 to just one individual. Cystat attributed this reduction to the completion and non-renewal of specific fixed-term contracts that began in August 2025.
Over the first seven months of 2026, the average number of state employees increased by 0.3% compared to the same period in 2025. Average permanent employment rose by 0.2%, while indefinite-duration employment saw a more substantial increase of 1.7%. In contrast, both fixed-term and hourly paid employment experienced declines of 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively.
Examining the individual services, average civil service employment declined by 1%. Within this sector, permanent employment fell by 0.5%, indefinite-duration contracts decreased by 3%, and hourly paid employment dropped by 1.3%. However, fixed-term employment in the civil service saw a modest increase of 2%.
In the educational service, average employment rose by 2.1%, bolstered by a remarkable 24.9% increase in indefinite-duration contracts, a 3.7% rise in fixed-term employment, and a 2.3% increase in hourly paid workers. Permanent employment in education, however, saw a slight decline of 0.2%.
Average employment in the security forces remained relatively stable, increasing by 0.1%. Permanent employment rose by 1.8%, while indefinite-duration employment increased by 1%. Hourly paid employment in the security forces saw a significant rise of 8%, although fixed-term employment experienced a drastic decline of 90.3%.
The data reflects ongoing trends in the state workforce of Cyprus, highlighting shifts in employment categories and the impact of sector-specific growth and reductions. As the government navigates these changes, the focus remains on balancing workforce needs across various services while addressing the challenges posed by fluctuating employment figures.