Finding employment after completing tertiary or higher secondary education is a concern affecting thousands of young Cypriots regarding their professional future, with Eurostat data providing insights into job market accessibility.
According to Eurostat, eight in ten recent graduates from secondary, higher secondary and tertiary education in Cyprus entered the labour market in the previous year, with figures showing that professional absorption was relatively easy.
Cyprus graduates achieve 83.5% employment rate, ranking 14th in EU
Cyprus ranks 14th among the 27 European Union member states, with the immediate professional absorption rate for secondary or tertiary education graduates aged 20-34 reaching 83.5%, exceeding the European average of 82.3%.
Eurostat data reveals significant differences between countries, with the highest employment rates recorded in the Netherlands (91.6%) and Germany (90.5%).
Eight in ten recent graduates enter Cyprus job market successfully
The lowest employment rates were recorded in Italy (69.6%), Greece (73.2%) and Romania (75.0%).
Employment rates for other countries in 2024 were: Malta 88.6%, Slovakia 88.3%, Hungary 88%, Ireland 87.7%, Czech Republic and Austria 86.5%, Sweden 85.8%, Denmark 85%, Slovenia 84.6%, Poland 84.5%, Estonia 84.4%, Finland 82.5%, Croatia 81.4%, Bulgaria 80.9%, Belgium and Portugal 79.7%, Spain 79%, Lithuania 78.1%, Luxembourg 77.9%, Latvia 76.9%, and France 76.8%.
Tertiary education provides strongest employment protection
The report notes that education level plays a decisive role when recent graduates seek employment.
Graduates with tertiary education recorded the highest employment rates and were generally better protected from unemployment risks compared to their peers who entered the job market with lower education levels.