Dorita Yiannakou
Demand for workers in restaurants, tourism and retail increased during the first five months of this year. According to data obtained by “K” from the Public Employment Service (PES), there has been particularly strong demand for waiters and shop assistants since the beginning of the year.
The figures reflect the seasonal nature of Cyprus’ labor market, as demand for these jobs rises during periods of increased tourism and commercial activity.
At the opposite end of the scale, demand for tour guides through the PES remained at rock bottom between January and May. This does not, of course, mean that tour guide vacancies were not advertised through other job-search platforms.
Overall, 2,635 vacancies across 12 occupations remained active on the PES platform at the end of June.
The Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), meanwhile, says the shortage of nurses is getting out of control, increasing pressure on patients and the quality of healthcare services.
Nurses
At the same time, Cyprus' need for nurses has reached critical levels.
According to a study prepared by Professor Giannis Yfantopoulos on behalf of the Health Ministry, the country currently needs around 600 nurses.
OEB has raised the issue in a statement, calling on the state, government and Parliament to put an end to a long-running problem affecting public healthcare.
OEB said the incentives announced by the ministry to attract students into nursing are useful but will only begin producing results four or five years from now.
Today's urgent staffing needs, however, cannot remain hostage to trade union rigidity and government hesitation, OEB added.
The federation said it has already submitted a series of proposals aimed at providing immediate relief and is now waiting for decisions and action from the relevant authorities.
High demand
The picture emerging from the labor market during the first five months of the year, based on vacancies advertised and still active as of June 30, 2026, shows significant staffing shortages in several areas of the economy.
The restaurant and catering sector has the greatest need for workers.
Waiters topped the list, with 892 vacancies advertised. Of those, 756 were still active at the end of June, showing that demand remained particularly strong throughout the period.
The picture was similar for cooks, with 621 vacancies advertised and 540 still open. For bartenders, 434 jobs were advertised, with 332 remaining active.
The figures highlight the restaurant industry's continuing need for workers and suggest that many of these jobs are proving difficult to fill, leaving vacancies open for long periods.
Retail is facing a similar problem.
Shop assistants accounted for 765 advertised vacancies, with 590 still open. This reflects continued demand in a sector characterised by high employee turnover and a constant need for new staff.
Builders and electricians also wanted
Demand is also notable in construction and skilled trades.
There were 242 vacancies advertised for construction workers, with 159 still open by the end of June.
For building electricians, 100 new vacancies were advertised, while the number of active vacancies stood even higher, at 136.
The fact that there were more active vacancies than newly advertised jobs during the period suggests that some positions had been open from earlier and were still proving difficult to fill. This reinforces concerns over a long-term shortage of skilled technical workers in Cyprus.
In the hotel sector, 56 vacancies were advertised for reception staff, and all 56 remained open as of June 30, potentially pointing to difficulties finding suitable candidates.
In healthcare, 46 nursing vacancies were advertised through the PES, with 27 still active at the end of the period, further highlighting the sector's significant staffing needs.
Where demand is lower
At the other end of the labour market, considerably fewer new jobs were advertised in several professions.
Only nine new vacancies were advertised for restaurant managers, although 36 positions remained active. This suggests these jobs may be harder to fill and are staying open for longer.
For bus drivers, six vacancies were advertised and three remained active.
Only three head chef positions were advertised, with none left open by the end of June.
And despite Cyprus being in the middle of its tourism season, not a single new or active vacancy for tour guides was recorded through the Public Employment Service during the period examined.
That does not necessarily mean there was no demand for tour guides elsewhere, as jobs may have been advertised through other recruitment platforms.
Overall, the figures show that Cyprus' biggest staffing needs are concentrated in restaurants and catering, retail, construction and technical trades.
At the same time, the large number of vacancies that remain open suggests the issue is not simply that businesses need more people. Many employers are also struggling to attract and keep the workers they need, particularly in skilled jobs and sectors with high staff turnover.
