Cyprus working life expectancy rises above EU average

Cyprus’ working life expectancy has climbed to 39 years, placing the island well above the EU average of 37.2 years in 2024, according to Eurostat data released on Friday.

The figure reflects the expected average duration of working life for people aged 15 and over.

Eurostat reported that men in Cyprus are expected to spend 41.6 years in the labour market.

At the same time, women’s working life is estimated at 36.3 years, resulting in a gender gap of 5.3 years.

By contrast, in neighbouring Greece, working life expectancy remains significantly lower at 34.8 years. Greek men are expected to work for 36 years, while women’s participation is markedly lower at just 31.1 years.

This gap of nearly five years between the two countries highlights Cyprus’ stronger labour market participation and longer active lifespan, particularly among women.

Across the bloc, men are expected to work for an average of 39.2 years, compared with 35 years for women.

The gender gap has narrowed slightly over the past decade, yet it remains wide in several countries, including Greece, where women’s working life falls 4.9 years below the EU average.

Over the past 10 years, Cyprus has seen a steady rise in its figures. Although there was a slight decline during the Covid-19 years, working life expectancy rebounded from 37.7 years in 2021 to 39 in 2023.

Greece, meanwhile, made only marginal gains in the same period, as lower female employment and persistently high youth unemployment continue to weigh on its figures. 

At the top end of the scale, the Netherlands leads with an average of 43.8 years, followed by Sweden (43), Denmark (42.5), Estonia (41.4), Ireland (40.4) and Germany (40).

In contrast, Romania recorded the EU’s shortest expected working life at just 32.7 years, followed closely by Italy (32.8) and Bulgaria (34.8).

Meanwhile, women in Cyprus have a higher working life expectancy than in many other EU countries, though the figure still falls short of the bloc’s leaders, such as Estonia at 42.2 years.

For men, Cyprus performs well but remains slightly behind the Netherlands, where men are expected to work for 45.7 years.

Overall, Eurostat data show that the EU’s working life expectancy has increased by 2.4 years over the past decade, rising from 34.8 in 2014.