Cypriot workers put in longer hours than their European counterparts on average, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.
Eurostat data for 2023 shows Cypriots averaged 38.5 hours per week in their main jobs, exceeding the EU average of 36.1 hours.
Significant variations exist across the bloc. Greece (39.8 hours), Romania (39.5), Poland (39.3), and Bulgaria (39.0) topped the list for working hours, while the Netherlands (32.2), Austria (33.6), and Germany (34.0) recorded the lowest.
Looking at sectors across the EU, agriculture, forestry, and fishing led the way with an average of 41.5 hours, followed by mining and quarrying (39.1) and construction (38.9).
Conversely, household workers logged the fewest hours (26.7), followed by education (31.9) and arts, entertainment, and recreation (33.0).
Cyprus mirrored these trends to some extent. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing topped the national list at 45.7 hours, surprisingly followed by household workers at 44.1 hours and mining and quarrying at 44.0 hours. The hospitality and food service sector also saw higher-than-average working hours in Cyprus (42.9 vs. 36.9 in the EU).
Education (33.8), other services (36.1), and extraterritorial organisations and bodies (37.3) recorded the fewest working hours in Cyprus.working hours. Cypriot workers, longer hours, Eurostat
