Cyprus recorded a 7.6 per cent annual rise in registered unemployment in May, although the number of people officially listed as unemployed fell compared with the previous month, according to the Statistical Service (Cystat).

The number of unemployed persons registered at district labour offices reached 7,936 on the last day of May 2026, down from 8,962 in April. However, compared with May 2025, when the figure stood at 7,378, registered unemployment increased by 558 persons.

At the same time, the seasonally adjusted data, which are used to better reflect the underlying trend, also showed a slight monthly improvement. According to Cystat, the number of registered unemployed fell to 10,476 persons in May, from 10,516 in April.

This followed a seasonally adjusted figure of 10,257 in March, 10,085 in February and 10,089 in January.

Cystat said the annual increase was mainly driven by accommodation and food service activities, administrative and support service activities, transportation and storage, as well as professional, scientific and technical activities.

More specifically, the strongest pressure came from accommodation and food service activities, where the number of registered unemployed rose to 1,177 in May 2026, compared with 934 in May 2025. The figure was well below the 1,986 recorded in April, pointing to a clear monthly easing in the sector.

Similarly, administrative and support service activities increased to 431 in May, from 337 a year earlier, although they too declined from 519 in April.

Meanwhile, transportation and storage stood at 323 in May, compared with 264 in May 2025, after falling from 453 in April.

The increase was also reflected in professional, scientific and technical activities, where registered unemployed persons reached 812, up from 754 a year earlier and only slightly below the 816 recorded in April.

Other sectors also recorded annual increases. Information and communication rose to 455 registered unemployed persons, from 416 in May 2025, while public administration and defence, compulsory social security increased to 706, from 658.

In education, the number rose to 290, compared with 263 a year earlier, while human health and social work activities reached 278, up from 230.

By contrast, some sectors moved in the opposite direction. Construction fell to 366 registered unemployed persons, from 426 in May 2025, while wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles declined slightly to 1,380, from 1,400.

There were also decreases in agriculture, forestry and fishing, which fell to 41, from 52, and in water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, which dropped to 15, from 27.

Manufacturing remained broadly stable, with 479 registered unemployed persons in May, compared with 458 a year earlier and 474 in April. Financial and insurance activities were unchanged on an annual basis at 405, while real estate activities rose to 122, from 100.

The data also showed that the number of newcomers registered as unemployed stood at 254 in May, down from 297 a year earlier and broadly in line with the 252 recorded in April.