Cyprus maintained a steady job vacancy rate of 2.8 per cent during the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest figures released by Eurostat.

This performance for Cyprus remained consistent with the final quarter of 2025, although it represents a marginal decline from the 2.9 per cent rate recorded during the first quarter of 2025.

Across the broader euro area, the job vacancy rate reached 2.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, marking a slight rise from the 2.2 per cent noted in the final quarter of 2025.

This figure represents a minor decrease compared to the 2.4 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

The European Union as a whole saw a job vacancy rate of 2.1 per cent for the first quarter of 2026.

This rate remained unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2025 but showed a decrease from the 2.2 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2025.

When analysing the euro area by sector, the job vacancy rate stood at 2.0 per cent in industry and construction, while the services sector recorded a higher rate of 2.4 per cent.

Within the European Union, the sector breakdown showed 1.8 per cent for industry and construction and 2.3 per cent for services.

Among the member states with comparable data available, the highest job vacancy rates during the first quarter of 2026 were found in the Netherlands at 4.0 per cent and Belgium at 3.4 per cent.

These were followed by Malta at 3.3 per cent and Austria at 3.1 per cent.

Conversely, the lowest rates were observed in Romania at 0.6 per cent and Poland at 0.8 per cent.

Bulgaria, Spain and Slovakia also recorded low rates, each sitting at 0.9 per cent.

Comparing the first quarter of 2026 to the same period in the previous year, the job vacancy rate increased in three member states, remained stable in 8 and decreased in 16.

Increases were noted in Malta by 0.4 percentage points, as well as in Portugal and Slovenia, which both saw rises of 0.2 percentage points.

The most significant decreases were recorded in Belgium at 0.7 percentage points and Austria at 0.5 percentage points.

These were followed by Denmark and Italy, both down by 0.4 percentage points, and France, which saw a decline of 0.3 percentage points.

In terms of economic activity, the highest job vacancy rates in the euro area and the European Union were recorded in administrative and support service activities, which includes temporary employment agencies, at 3.2 per cent for the euro area and 3.1 per cent for the European Union.

Accommodation and food service activities also posted high figures, with 3.2 per cent in the euro area and 3.0 per cent in the European Union.

Construction recorded 3.1 per cent in the euro area and 2.8 per cent in the European Union.

Telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information service activities reached 2.8 per cent in the euro area and 2.6 per cent in the European Union.

Finally, professional, scientific and technical activities saw rates of 2.5 per cent in the euro area and 2.4 per cent in the European Union.

Historical data for Cyprus shows that the rate was 2.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025, 3 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, 3.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 and 2.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2025.