2011-2021: What are the levels of staff employment in the Public Sector

What are the main differences in the collection of employment data between BTI and YSTAT

Main Image x2 100 Employment, Public Sector, Staff

The Department of Public Administration and Personnel (BTD) records on a quarterly basis since 2011 the employment of staff in the Public Sector, which is presented in detail in the Table below. The levels of staff employment in the Public Sector during this period have decreased by 8%, ie from 52.267 people recorded on 31.12.2011 to 48.120 people recorded on 30.9.2021.

Employment, Public Sectors, Staff

Methodological Information:

The above employment data include: the Civil Service (permanent and temporary staff), the Educational Service (permanent and non-permanent staff: contracted / substitute teachers), the Judicial Service, the Cyprus Army (including Contracted Non-Commissioned Officers), the Police (including Special Constables), the Fire Department, Government Officials and Hourly Government Personnel.

The data on "Employment in the Public Sector" maintained by the TSI present differences from the data on "Employment in Government" published by the Statistical Service (YSTAT) with monthly Press Releases, mainly due to different methodology but also that they serve a different purpose.

The main differences in the collection of employment data between BTI and YSTAT can be found in the following:

  • The BTI does not include in the employment data the Contracted HOPs SYOP, who were hired to reduce the military service of the National Guard and there is a ceiling of employment of 3.090 people. YSTAT includes them.
  • The BTI does not include in the employment data the Hourly Government Staff of the State Hospitals, which from 1/1/2019 has been transferred as staff of OKYPY due to the autonomy of the state hospitals (1.725 ​​people who now belong to OKYPY have moved). YSTAT includes it.
  • The TSI calculates employment for seasonal staff and contract / substitute teachers on the basis of full-time equivalent (approval granted for one year in man-months). E.g. In case the approval, and therefore the employment, concerns 20 seasonal staff for a period of 6 months, the employment is estimated at 10 people equivalent to full time. YSTAT calculates the people who were paid in the specific month it examines, regardless of the period and duration they were employed, even if they have worked even 1 day.
  • The BTI does not count any category of employees with benefits, as long as they are not considered Public Sector employees and therefore, does not include in the employment data the Medical Officers and Nurses who work in the State Hospitals for specialization and receive Exercise Allowance. Based on date data. 30/9/2021 of the State Payroll of the General Accounting Office amount to 247 persons, which are included in the data of YSTAT.
  • The BTI does not include in the employment data persons working in the Thera Fund (Special Fund) and the Pancyprian Refugee Association (Legal Entity under Public Law). Based on date data. 30/9/2021 of the State Payroll of the General Accounting Office amount to a total of 78 people, which are included in the data of YSTAT.
  • The BTI includes in the employment data all the Government Officials in the Government. YSTAT does not include in its data the Members of the House of Representatives (Members of Parliament and Representatives of Religious Groups).

Data source:

The source of employment data of the Department of Public Administration and Personnel is the General Accounting Office, the Education Service Committee and the Ministries / Undersecretaries / Independent Services.

The above data are provided for the purposes of more complete information and transparency, as well as for clarification regarding the differences in the employment numbers presented in the Government Employment Press Releases of the Statistical Service, which uses a different methodology from the Department of Public Administration to Personnel. recording the employment situation.