Cyprus is hiring in 2026 — so why are hundreds of jobs still unfilled?

Cyprus is hiring. But hundreds of jobs are staying open.

New figures from the Public Employment Service show that 2,635 vacancies across 12 occupations remained active at the end of June 2026. The biggest gaps are in restaurants, tourism, retail and healthcare — sectors that employ thousands of people but continue to struggle to find and keep staff.

This is not simply a story about there being “more jobs”. It raises a more important question: why are so many vacancies still unfilled when unemployment remains low?

The jobs Cyprus is struggling to fill

The strongest demand is concentrated in roles that keep the country’s hotels, restaurants and shops operating.

According to figures reported by KNEWS from the Public Employment Service, the most striking numbers include:

• Waiters: 892 vacancies advertised, with 756 still active at the end of June
• Cooks: 621 vacancies advertised, with 540 still active
• Shop assistants: 765 vacancies advertised, with 590 still active
• Bartenders: 434 vacancies advertised, with 332 still active

The figures suggest that employers are not just advertising jobs and filling them quickly. Many vacancies remain open for weeks or months, particularly in sectors where work can be seasonal, physically demanding or dependent on evening and weekend shifts.

Cyprus also needs around 600 nurses

Hospitality and retail are not the only sectors affected. The same report says Cyprus currently needs approximately 600 nurses.

The nursing shortage is particularly serious because it affects the quality and resilience of public healthcare. Incentives designed to attract more students into nursing may help over time, but they cannot solve the immediate problem: training a new generation of nurses takes several years.

That leaves Cyprus with a short-term recruitment challenge. The country needs to make healthcare roles more attractive now while also investing in the longer-term education pipeline.

Why are these vacancies difficult to fill?

There is no single explanation. Cyprus’s labour shortage is the result of several pressures happening at the same time.

Salaries do not always match the cost of living

A job can be technically available without being financially realistic. In Limassol especially, entry-level hospitality and retail salaries can be difficult to reconcile with rent, transport, food and other monthly costs.

For some workers, accepting a job means spending a large share of their income simply getting to work and paying for accommodation. When the difference between working and not working is small, vacancies remain unattractive even when employers are actively recruiting.

Hospitality work is often seasonal

Hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses need the most staff when demand is highest. That can create short contracts, unpredictable hours and uncertainty about what happens after the summer season.

A worker may prefer a lower-paid job with a full-year contract to a better-paid seasonal role that ends in October.

Working hours can exclude potential workers

Restaurants, hotels and shops often need staff early in the morning, late at night, at weekends and on public holidays. Those hours can be difficult for parents, students, people without cars and workers who rely on limited public transport.

The vacancy may exist, but the job’s schedule can still make it impossible for many people to accept.

Cyprus is competing for workers internationally

Employers are not only competing with other businesses on the island. Cyprus is competing with other European countries and destinations that may offer higher wages, stronger accommodation support or clearer long-term career paths.

This is especially relevant for nurses, chefs, experienced hospitality workers and skilled tradespeople.

Skills and expectations do not always match

Some employers are looking for experience, language skills or specific qualifications. At the same time, many applicants are searching for entry-level opportunities, training and a clear route to progression.

The result is a mismatch: employers say they cannot find the right people, while job seekers say the available roles do not offer enough training, security or pay.

What this means for job seekers

For people looking for work in Cyprus, the shortage creates real opportunities — but not every high-demand job is automatically a good job.

Hospitality workers

Waiters, cooks and bartenders are among the most sought-after workers right now. When applying, ask about:

• Gross and net salary
• Whether accommodation is provided or subsidised
• Transport to and from the workplace
• Contract length and renewal prospects
• Overtime and Sunday or holiday pay
• Split shifts and the expected weekly schedule

Retail workers

Shop assistants remain in high demand, with hundreds of vacancies still active. Candidates who can speak Greek and English — or additional languages used by customers and visitors — may have an advantage.

Ask whether the role includes sales targets, commission, late closing shifts and work across multiple locations.

Nurses and healthcare workers

The reported shortage indicates that qualified nurses may have strong opportunities in Cyprus. International applicants should check qualification recognition, registration requirements, language expectations and relocation support before accepting an offer.

Career changers

A shortage can be an opportunity to enter a new sector, but you should look for employers offering structured training rather than relying on vague promises. A short course, recognised certificate or supervised entry route may make a difference when applying.

What employers need to change

The figures are also a warning to employers. If the same vacancy stays open for a long time, simply reposting it may not solve the problem.

Employers should review:

• Whether the salary is competitive for the city and sector
• Whether the role offers predictable hours
• Whether staff receive transport or accommodation support
• Whether seasonal workers can move into year-round employment
• Whether training is available for applicants without experience
• Whether managers are retaining existing employees

The labour shortage is not only a recruitment problem. It is also a retention problem. If workers leave after a few weeks, the employer will constantly appear to be hiring even when the underlying issue is working conditions.

Is Cyprus facing a real labour shortage?

Yes — but it is uneven.

Cyprus is not short of every kind of worker. The demand is concentrated in particular occupations, locations and skill levels. Restaurants, retail businesses and healthcare providers may be desperate to hire, while applicants in another sector may face much stronger competition.

That is why job seekers should look beyond the headline number of vacancies. The useful questions are:

• Which occupation is hiring?
• In which city?
• For how many months?
• At what salary?
• With what contract and working conditions?

The strongest opportunities will be for people who match a genuine shortage and understand what the employer is actually offering.

Our view

Cyprus’s open vacancies show that the island’s economy is still creating work. But the number of unfilled jobs also shows that growth alone is not enough.

Employers need workers. Workers need jobs that make financial and practical sense. Until those two things meet — through better pay, more predictable contracts, training and improved working conditions — Cyprus will continue to advertise jobs that remain open.

For job seekers, this is a good time to look at high-demand sectors, compare offers carefully and ask direct questions before accepting a role. For employers, it is a good time to stop treating recruitment as an advertising exercise and start treating it as a product: if the offer is not attractive, people will not buy it.

Sources

This article is based on figures reported by KNEWS from the Cyprus Public Employment Service, with labour-market context from CYSTAT, EURES and the European Commission’s Cyprus economic forecast.