Press Releases

Unemployment 6,6%

According to the results of the Labour Force Survey, the labour force in the 3^rd quarter of 2021 amounted to 472.314 persons or 64,6% of the population (males 70,6%, females 59,0%) in comparison to 452.154 persons (62,9%) in the corresponding quarter of 2020 (Table 1).

The number of employed persons was 440.959 and the employment rate 60,3% (males 66,3%, females 54,8%) in comparison to 414.920 persons (57,7%) in the corresponding quarter of 2020.

The number of unemployed persons amounted to 31.355 and the unemployment rate to 6,6% of the labour force (males 6,1%, females 7,2%) in comparison to 37.234 persons (8,2%) in the corresponding quarter of 2020.

Employment (Table 2) 

For the age group 20-64, the employment rate was 77,2%. The rate for males was 83,2% and for females 71,5%. In the corresponding quarter of 2020 the rate was 74,5% (males 81,4%, females 68,0%). For the age group 55-64 the employment rate was 65,5% in comparison to 61,9% in the corresponding quarter of 2020.

According to the distribution of employment by sector, the biggest percentage of employed persons was in Services (79,9%), followed by Manufacturing (17,3%) and Agriculture (2,8%). For the 3^rd quarter of 2020, the corresponding percentages were: Services 77,3%, Manufacturing 19,8% and Agriculture 2,9%.

The share of part-time employment to total employment was 11,0% or 48.482 persons (males 9,4%, females 12,7%). The corresponding rate for the 3^rd quarter of 2020 was 10,2% (males 7,9%, females 13,0%).

88,1% or 388.296 of the total employed persons were employees, of which 13,0% (50.548 persons) had a temporary job. In the corresponding quarter of 2020 employees accounted for 86,1% of total employment of which 13,1% had a temporary job.

Unemployment (Table 3)

For young persons aged 15-24 years old, the unemployment rate was 14,5% of the labour force of the same age group (males 14,1%, females 14,9%) in comparison to 20,4% (males 30,2%, females 10,8%) in the corresponding quarter of last year.

As far as the duration of unemployment is concerned, 42,8% of the total unemployed persons searched for a job for a period of less than six (6) months, 24,3% for a period of 6-11 months, whereas a percentage of 32,9% were long-term unemployed. The corresponding rates for the 3^rd quarter of 2020 were 53,3%, 19,6% and 27,1%.

Note: Figures may not add up to totals due to rounding error.

METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Survey Identity

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is conducted in all European Union member states every quarter in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which entered into force on 1.1.2021. Until 2020, the LFS was conducted in accordance with Regulation 577/98 of the Council of the European Union. In Cyprus the survey was carried out in 1999 for the first time and until 2003 it was conducted in the second quarter of every year. As from the second quarter of 2004 onwards, the LFS is conducted every quarter, on a continuous basis.

The aim of the survey is the collection of data which are useful in the formulation of policy on labour matters (employment, unemployment) and for pursuing and evaluating of the programmes that are applied both by Government and by the European Union.

Coverage and collection of data

The LFS covers a sample of 3.800 households in all districts of Cyprus, which are allocated according to the number of households that reside in urban and rural areas.

For comparability of the results, in all member states, the survey covers the population of private households only. It does not cover persons residing in collective households (i.e. institutions, homes for the aged, hospitals, monasteries etc.), conscripts on compulsory military service as well as students who study abroad and Cypriots who work abroad.

The collection of the data from the Statistical Service is done with personal interviews and the use of portable computers as well as with telephone interviews.

Recent methodological changes

With the adoption of the new European Regulation on Social Statistics (2019/1700), the LFS is conducted with significant changes in the design and implementation of the questionnaire, so that it is fully harmonized with this new regulation. The most important changes in employment and unemployment, in the context of the adoption of the new regulation are:

The above changes to regulations do not seem at this stage to have any effect on the LFS results from 2021 onwards. At the same time, a study is being carried out which is in progress and will be completed by the end of 2021 and which will indicate with certainty whether these changes caused any impact on the results of the survey.

It is noted that, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has affected both employment and unemployment, as the measures taken by the government for the restrain of the pandemic have affected businesses of various economic activities, (e.g. total or partial suspension of operation). As a result, persons employed in these businesses did not work for a significant period of time (more than three (3) months) and therefore were not considered as employed. Additionally, persons who were not employed were not actively seeking for work (since there were no jobs) although they were available to work within two (2) weeks following the reference week and hence were not considered as unemployed.

Definitions

Labour Force / Economically Active Population – The total number of the employed and unemployed persons aged 15 years and over.

Employed – Persons aged 15 – 89 years old who during the reference week worked for at least one hour, as well as persons who had a job but were temporarily absent from work.

Unemployed – Persons aged 15 – 74 years old who comply to the following standards:

• Neither worked nor had a job from which they were temporarily absent during the reference week.

• They had actively sought for work, i.e. had taken specific steps during the previous four (4) weeks to find work or found a job which will start within a period of at most three (3) months.

• They were available to start work within the two (2) weeks following the reference week.

Long-term unemployed – Persons aged 15 – 74 years old who searched for work for a period of 12 months or more.

Inactive – Persons aged 15 years and over who are neither employed nor unemployed.

Labour Force participation rate – The number of persons in the Labour Force for any group expressed as a percentage of the total population in the same group.

Employment rate – The number of employed persons for any group expressed as a percentage of the total population in the same group.

Unemployment rate – The number of unemployed persons of any group expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group. 

Employment estimation LFS Vs National Accounts

National Accounts employment estimates differ from the results of other statistics and surveys, especially from those obtained from the LFS. In particular, there are differences due to both integration of sources and conceptual reasons.

The differences are presented in a relevant document.

For more information:

CYSTAT Portal, subtheme Labour Market

CYSTAT-DB (Online Database)

Predefined Tables (Excel)

The Predefined Tables will be available in Excel format until the 4^th quarter of 2021. Afterwards, the data will be available only on the Online Database CYSTAT-DB.

Contact

Maria Hadjiprokopi: Τel.: +35722602146, Email: mhadjiprokopi@cystat.mof.gov.cy

Eleni Christodoulidou: Tel.: +35722602142, Email: echristodoulidou@cystat.mof.gov.cy

(MG/IK)