Cyprus’ state workforce reached 53,152 employees in September 2026, increasing by 622 people or 1.2 per cent from 52,530 a year earlier, according to figures released on Monday by the statistical service (Cystat). 

The increase came as employment in the educational service rose by 4 per cent and the security forces grew by 2 per cent, while civil service staffing declined by 1.2 per cent. 

The civil service remained the largest of the three services, although its workforce fell from 23,098 to 22,812 employees. 

Meanwhile, the educational service added 632 employees to reach 16,485, compared with 15,853 in September 2025, while the security forces increased from 13,579 to 13,855. 

Across the state workforce, permanent employees were the only category to record an overall increase, rising by 3.2 per cent from 32,832 to 33,893. 

Employees with indefinite-duration contracts declined by 1 per cent from 9,512 to 9,421, while fixed-term employment fell by 9.1 per cent from 3,476 to 3,161. 

Hourly paid workers also decreased by 0.5 per cent, from 6,710 to 6,677. 

Within the civil service, permanent employment fell by 0.6 per cent from 11,918 to 11,845, while indefinite-duration contracts decreased by 1.6 per cent from 4,078 to 4,012. 

Fixed-term employees declined by 1.2 per cent from 1,290 to 1,274, and hourly paid workers fell by 2.3 per cent from 5,812 to 5,681. 

Education presented a different picture, with the rise in employment concentrated among permanent staff. 

Permanent employees in the educational service increased by 8.1 per cent, from 12,441 to 13,454, an addition of 1,013 people. 

However, employees with indefinite-duration contracts fell by 14.3 per cent from 1,167 to 1,000, while fixed-term employees declined by 10.2 per cent from 2,099 to 1,885. 

The number of hourly paid workers in education was unchanged at 146. 

In the security forces, permanent employment increased by 1.4 per cent from 8,473 to 8,594, while indefinite-duration contracts rose by 3.3 per cent from 4,267 to 4,409. 

Hourly paid workers recorded the strongest increase across the individual services and employment categories, rising by 13 per cent from 752 to 850. 

By contrast, fixed-term employment in the security forces fell by 97.7 per cent, from 87 employees to just two. 

According to Cystat, the sharp decline mainly reflected the completion and non-renewal of specific fixed-term contracts from August 2025 onwards. 

Over the first nine months of 2026, the average number of state employees increased by 0.4 per cent compared with the corresponding period of 2025. 

Average permanent employment increased by 0.5 per cent and indefinite-duration employment rose by 1.5 per cent, while fixed-term and hourly paid employment declined by 1.2 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively. 

Looking at the individual services, average civil service employment declined by 1 per cent during the January-September period. 

Permanent employment fell by 0.5 per cent, indefinite-duration contracts by 2.8 per cent and hourly paid employment by 1.5 per cent, whereas fixed-term employment rose by 1.9 per cent. 

Average employment in the educational service increased by 2.3 per cent, supported by a 19.8 per cent rise in indefinite-duration employment and a 3 per cent increase in fixed-term contracts. 

Permanent employment in education increased by 0.8 per cent over the nine months, while hourly paid employment rose by 2.2 per cent. 

Meanwhile, average employment in the security forces increased by 0.5 per cent. 

Permanent employment rose by 1.7 per cent, indefinite-duration employment by 1.6 per cent and hourly paid employment by 9.1 per cent, while fixed-term employment dropped by 90.9 per cent.