Cyprus recorded 12,930 job vacancies in the second quarter of 2026, down by 3,123 vacancies, a 19.5 per cent decrease from a year earlier, according to the statistical service (Cystat).

The job vacancy rate stood at 2.6 per cent, compared with 2.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and 3.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2025.

Compared with the first quarter of 2026, the number of vacancies fell by 975, a 7 per cent decrease, from 13,905.

Cystat said the highest job vacancy rate in the second quarter was recorded in accommodation and food service activities, at 4.6 per cent.

Transportation and storage followed at 3.5 per cent, alongside administrative and support service activities, which also recorded a vacancy rate of 3.5 per cent.

In terms of the actual number of vacancies, accommodation and food service activities accounted for the largest share, with 2,827 openings during the quarter.

Wholesale and retail trade followed with 2,286 vacancies, while construction recorded 1,330.

Professional, scientific and technical activities recorded 874 vacancies, while transportation and storage stood at 859.

Manufacturing posted 854 vacancies, followed by administrative and support service activities with 789.

Public administration and defence, including compulsory social security, recorded 665 vacancies, while human health and social work activities stood at 572.

Telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information service activities recorded 441 vacancies, while financial and insurance activities reached 398.

Elsewhere, other service activities recorded 337 vacancies, education stood at 267, while arts, sports and recreation posted 162.

Publishing, broadcasting, and content production and distribution activities recorded 132 vacancies, while water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities stood at 85.

Real estate activities recorded 41 vacancies, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply stood at 11, while mining and quarrying recorded no vacancies during the quarter.

In rate terms, after accommodation and food service activities, transportation and storage and administrative and support service activities, construction followed with a job vacancy rate of 3.1 per cent.

Wholesale and retail trade stood at 3 per cent, while manufacturing and human health and social work activities each recorded 2.2 per cent.

Publishing-related activities, telecommunication-related activities and public administration and defence each recorded a vacancy rate of 2 per cent.

Water supply and waste management activities and professional, scientific and technical activities both stood at 1.9 per cent.

Other service activities recorded 1.8 per cent, while financial and insurance activities stood at 1.7 per cent.

Arts, sports and recreation recorded a job vacancy rate of 1.5 per cent, while education stood at 0.7 per cent.

Electricity supply and real estate activities each recorded 0.6 per cent, while mining and quarrying stood at zero.

According to Cystat, a job vacancy refers to a paid post 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 immediately or within a specified period.