Public sector employment in Cyprus has seen a notable increase, reaching 74,431 in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 1.8 per cent rise compared to the previous year. This data was released by the statistical service, Cystat, on Monday.
Out of the total workforce in the public sector, 69,346 individuals were employed in general government roles, while 5,085 worked in publicly owned enterprises and companies. The breakdown within general government shows that 52,879 were in central government positions, 10,429 in non-profit organisations, and 6,038 in local authorities.
The year-on-year growth of 1,294 jobs in the public sector highlights a steady demand for public service roles. Notably, central government added 643 jobs, reflecting a 1 per cent increase. Local authorities exhibited a more robust expansion, with an increase of 550 positions, representing a significant 10 per cent rise. Publicly owned enterprises and companies also recorded a modest growth with 101 new jobs, or 2 per cent.
Cystat attributes the surge in local authority employment primarily to the growth of district local government organisations, which saw a remarkable increase of 347 staff, equating to a 40.9 per cent rise year-on-year. This trend indicates a strengthening of local governance structures and their capacity to serve communities.
However, when viewed on a quarterly basis, the figures reveal a decline in total public sector employment. Compared to the second quarter of 2025, employment dropped by 2,883 positions, a decrease of 3.7 per cent. This quarterly setback was largely influenced by a significant reduction in central government roles, which lost 3,085 jobs, or 4.6 per cent. Cystat noted that this decline was primarily due to a decrease in fixed-term contracts within the educational service.
In contrast, local authorities continued to show resilience, with an increase of 156 jobs, or 2.7 per cent, and publicly owned enterprises and companies added 46 positions, reflecting a 0.9 per cent rise.
