Yesterday (19/2), the Minister of Labor, Yiannis Panagiotou, presented data regarding the labor market's staffing needs to social partners, giving employers and unions a few days to study the information and submit their positions.

According to Brief reports, based on the Ministry of Labor's estimates, the number of additional labor market needs for 2024 is projected to be around 12,000.

The same sources indicate that responding to these staffing needs is planned through both the utilization of domestic human resources and targeted employment of workers from abroad.

Specifically regarding foreign personnel and the implementation of the Employment Strategy for Third-Country Nationals, the Ministry estimates the needs within its processes will amount to approximately 4,000 to 6,000 new work permits for third-country nationals. The remaining positions are expected to be filled by absorbing 3,000 to 3,500 unemployed individuals, as the unemployment rate is projected to decrease from 6.4% in 2023 to 5.8% this year.

Furthermore, to meet labor market staffing needs, the Ministry of Labor seems to favor further utilizing foreign students studying in Cyprus, both during and after their studies, updating their residency timeline in Cyprus and expanding the professions in which they can work.

The Ministry's data suggests that effectively responding to the increased labor market needs and efficiently utilizing available domestic human resources, in combination with targeted immediate employment of foreign workers and parallel medium-term planning, is expected to facilitate the realization of developmental prospects for 2024 and reduce unemployment towards achieving the goal of full employment conditions.

In statements after the Labor Advisory Council's meeting, the Minister of Labor mentioned that "specific data were presented to substantiate estimates regarding additional positions in the labor market, the capabilities of the available domestic human resources, and the needs for foreign workers for 2024."

According to the Minister, "these will be discussed in more detail with social partners in the coming days," emphasizing that "we expect that a common understanding of the magnitude of needs and capabilities will assist in constructive cooperation between social partners and the state to achieve goals for economic development and unemployment reduction."

Asked to comment on trade union organizations' statements about "lack of transparency" and "violation of collective agreements," the Minister indicated that "our intention is to ensure full transparency so that everyone knows the real needs and the content of the decisions made," emphasizing that "the applied process ensures that where Collective Labor Agreements exist, the employment of third-country nationals must be based on the terms they provide and reflect relevant legislative provisions."

"If there is any information that this is not being applied in practice, we want to receive relevant complaints or information so that we can act appropriately," he noted.

Asked if the unions had submitted specific complaints, Mr. Panagiotou said that examples were mentioned without naming specific employers, companies, or organizations. "We are at their disposal to investigate any specific case presented to us," he added.

It's noted that, although the data will be processed by the employer organizations OEB and CCCI within the next 24 hours, the number of personnel needs given by the Minister is deemed low by these organizations. According to their calculations, the needs amount to 15,000, with 12,000 in the sectors of retail, catering, and hotels.

In statements to Brief, the General Director of OEB, Michalis Antoniou, stressed that "we need a short time to process them, understand them, and see what other data we might need."

The aim of OEB, he pointed out, "is to meet the personnel needs. We don't want to inflate needs if they don't exist. Hopefully, there are no other needs and the Cypriot personnel will suffice, but the information we have from our members is that there are significant personnel needs," Mr. Antoniou concluded.