Cyprus youth unemployment holds firm at 7.8 per cent

Cyprus recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union in June 2026, with joblessness on the island falling to 3 per cent, according to figures published by Eurostat on Thursday.

Data released by the EU statistical office revealed that the seasonally adjusted jobless rate in Cyprus edged down from 3.1 per cent in May 2026 and 3.2 per cent in April 2026.

The 3 per cent rate placed Cyprus joint lowest among all EU member states alongside Bulgaria, contrasting sharply with the broader EU average.

The total number of unemployed persons in Cyprus stood at approximately 16,000 in June 2026, holding firm at the same level recorded in May 2026 and down from 17,000 in April 2026.

For young workers under the age of 25, the youth unemployment rate in Cyprus remained stable at 7.8 per cent in June 2026, unchanged from the previous month.

The overall number of unemployed young people in Cyprus was estimated at 2,000 in June 2026, matching the total recorded in May 2026.

Across the wider euro area, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 6.3 per cent in June 2026, remaining completely stable compared with both May 2026 and June 2025.

The overall EU unemployment rate was 6 per cent in June 2026, also maintaining stability when compared to the previous month and the corresponding period a year earlier.

Eurostat estimated that 13.317 million individuals in the EU were unemployed in June 2026, with 11.130 million of those residing within the euro area.

On a month-on-month basis, unemployment increased by 79,000 across the EU and by 71,000 across the euro area compared with May 2026.

When compared against June 2025, joblessness across the EU expanded by 112,000 people, while the euro area saw an annual rise of 43,000 unemployed individuals.

Regarding young jobseekers, 2.987 million people under 25 were unemployed across the EU in June 2026, of whom 2.351 million were located in the euro area.

The broader EU youth unemployment rate rose to 15.5 per cent in June 2026 from 15.4 per cent in May 2026, whereas the euro area youth rate dipped slightly to 14.8 per cent from 14.9 per cent.

On a monthly comparison, youth unemployment increased by 29,000 across the EU, while remaining entirely unchanged in the euro area.

Compared with June 2025, youth joblessness grew by 53,000 across the EU as a whole, but decreased by 8,000 across the euro area block.

Gender breakdown figures showed that the unemployment rate for women in the EU stood at 6.1 per cent in June 2026, falling from 6.2 per cent in May 2026.

In contrast, the unemployment rate for men in the EU rose to 5.9 per cent in June 2026, up from 5.8 per cent in the previous month.

Within the euro area, the unemployment rate for women remained stable at 6.4 per cent in June 2026, while the rate for men rose to 6.2 per cent from 6.1 per cent in May 2026.

Eurostat clarified that its estimations rely on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standard definition, which classifies unemployed people as those without work who have actively sought employment during the preceding four weeks and are prepared to start working within two weeks.

To offer a complete assessment of the labour market, unemployment metrics are supplemented by additional indicators such as underemployed part-time workers and persons seeking work who are not immediately available, released alongside quarterly labour force survey data.