**Cyprus Job Vacancies Decline in Q2 2026, Hospitality Sector Faces Ongoing Hiring Challenges**
Cyprus has reported a significant decrease in job vacancies for the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest data released by the statistical service, Cystat. The total number of job vacancies stood at 12,930, reflecting a decline of 3,123 vacancies, or 19.5 percent, compared to the same period in the previous year.
The job vacancy rate for the second quarter of 2026 was recorded at 2.6 percent, a slight decrease from 2.8 percent in the first quarter of the year and down from 3.3 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This decline in vacancies also marks a reduction of 975 positions, or 7 percent, from the 13,905 vacancies reported in the first quarter of 2026.
Among various sectors, the accommodation and food service activities reported the highest job vacancy rate at 4.6 percent, indicating ongoing challenges in hiring for this crucial sector. This was followed by transportation and storage, as well as administrative and support service activities, both of which recorded a vacancy rate of 3.5 percent.
In terms of the actual number of job openings, the accommodation and food service sector accounted for the largest share with 2,827 vacancies. This sector's struggles to attract and retain staff have been a persistent issue, particularly as the tourism industry continues to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Following this, the wholesale and retail trade sector reported 2,286 vacancies, while the construction industry had 1,330 openings.
Other sectors with notable vacancies included professional, scientific, and technical activities with 874 positions, and transportation and storage with 859 vacancies. Manufacturing reported 854 vacancies, while administrative and support service activities had 789 openings. Public administration and defense, including compulsory social security, recorded 665 vacancies, and human health and social work activities had 572.
The report also highlighted various sectors with fewer job openings. For instance, telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, and other information service activities had 441 vacancies, while financial and insurance activities recorded 398. Other service activities accounted for 337 vacancies, with education and arts, sports, and recreation showing 267 and 162 vacancies, respectively.
In terms of vacancy rates, the construction sector followed the accommodation and food service activities with a rate of 3.1 percent. The wholesale and retail trade sector had a vacancy rate of 3 percent, while both manufacturing and human health and social work activities recorded rates of 2.2 percent. Other sectors, such as publishing-related activities, telecommunication-related activities, and public administration and defense, each had a vacancy rate of 2 percent.
The data indicates that sectors like water supply, waste management, and professional, scientific, and technical activities both stood at a vacancy rate of 1.9 percent. Other service activities recorded a rate of 1.8 percent, while financial and insurance activities had a rate of 1.7 percent. The arts, sports, and recreation sector reported a vacancy rate of 1.5 percent, and education had the lowest rate at 0.7 percent. Notably, the mining and quarrying sector reported no vacancies during the quarter.
Cystat defines a job vacancy as a paid position that is newly created, unoccupied, or about to become vacant, where the employer is actively seeking a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise and intends to fill the position promptly or within a specified timeframe.
The decline in overall job vacancies, particularly in the hospitality sector, raises questions about the future of employment in Cyprus as the economy continues to navigate post-pandemic recovery. The ongoing challenges in hiring for the accommodation and food service activities suggest that while the number of job openings is decreasing, specific sectors are still grappling with significant workforce shortages.
As the country moves forward, addressing these hiring challenges will be essential for sustaining economic growth and ensuring that key industries can meet demand effectively.