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If searching for a job suddenly feels a little more competitive, the latest numbers may help explain why.
Cyprus had 12,930 unfilled positions during the second quarter of 2026, according to new Statistical Service figures. That may sound like plenty of work, but it was 3,123 fewer vacancies than during the same period last year, a drop of 19.5%.
Openings also fell by 7% in just three months, from 13,905 in the first quarter. The vacancy rate, which shows how many available jobs remain unfilled compared with the overall number of positions in the economy, dropped from 3.3% a year ago to 2.6%.
In plain language, employers are still looking for thousands of people, but the scramble to hire is not as intense as it was last year.
For anyone searching for work, that could mean more applicants competing for the same position and less freedom to pick between several offers. It may also reduce some of the pressure on businesses to raise salaries or offer better conditions to attract workers.
The figures do not tell us why vacancies have fallen. Some positions may have been successfully filled, which would be good news. But businesses may also be hiring more cautiously because of higher operating costs, expensive energy, and uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Hospitality continues to have the biggest appetite for workers. Hotels, restaurants, and other accommodation and food businesses reported 2,827 vacancies, giving the sector the highest vacancy rate at 4.6%.
Shops and other retail businesses followed with 2,286 openings, while construction companies were looking to fill 1,330 positions.
Transport and storage businesses, manufacturers, professional services, and administrative support companies also reported hundreds of vacancies.
The numbers reflect a familiar contradiction in the Cypriot economy. Businesses continue to complain that they cannot find enough staff, particularly in tourism, retail and construction, yet many workers say the jobs on offer do not always come with salaries that match the island’s rising living costs.
That makes the next set of figures important. If vacancies continue falling while unemployment begins to rise, it could be an early sign that the job market is genuinely cooling. If unemployment remains low, however, the decline may simply mean that employers are finally filling some of the positions that had been sitting empty.
For now, Cyprus is still hiring. There are simply fewer openings, and potentially more competition for them, than there were a year ago.
