Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus recorded a higher youth employment rate than the European Union average in 2025, according to Eurostat figures that also point to a broader shift toward self-employment among young people across the bloc.
Eurostat release tied to World Creativity and Innovation Day
The figures were published ahead of World Creativity and Innovation Day on April 21, which aims to underline the role of innovation and creativity in economic and social development.
Young Europeans increasingly turning to self-employment
According to the latest report from the EU’s statistical office, young people across Europe are increasingly turning to self-employment, driven by a combination of creativity, innovation and economic necessity as workplaces evolve rapidly.
In 2025, 2.06 million people aged 20 to 29 in the European Union were self-employed, accounting for 7.9 per cent of all self-employed individuals aged 20 to 64.
Cyprus self-employment figures
In Cyprus, the number of self-employed young people aged 20 to 29 stood at approximately 3,800, while the same figure was recorded for the broader 15 to 29 age group, reflecting the country’s relatively small population size.
More broadly, the total number of self-employed persons aged 20 to 64 in Cyprus reached approximately 41,400 in 2025, compared with roughly 25.99 million across the EU and 20.38 million in the eurozone.
Highest and lowest shares across the EU
Across the bloc, the highest shares of young entrepreneurs among the self-employed population were recorded in Slovakia at 12.2 per cent, Malta at 10.5 per cent and Romania at 10.3 per cent.
At the lower end of the scale, Ireland recorded 5.1 per cent, Bulgaria 5.3 per cent and Spain 5.9 per cent, indicating more limited youth participation in self-employment in those countries.
Cyprus youth employment compared with EU average
In terms of employment, Cyprus outperformed the EU average in youth employment rates, with 72.3 per cent of people aged 20 to 29 in work in 2025, compared with 65.6 per cent across the EU.
This places Cyprus among the strong-performing countries in youth labour market participation, although it remains below the highest-ranking member states.
How do you think the rise in self-employment among young people could affect youth employment in Cyprus?
