Overqualification Dilemma: Eurostat Reveals Alarming Rates

Eurostat’s latest report highlights a concerning trend for the Cypriot labour market in 2023: the overqualification rate among workers is significantly above the EU average. Cyprus, known for its highly educated workforce, finds a substantial portion of its talent working in positions that do not fully utilise their qualifications. This phenomenon is especially pronounced among women and non-EU nationals.

Key Findings

In 2023, Cyprus recorded an overqualification rate of 39.3% for non-EU citizens, 43.1% for EU nationals, and 27.5% for Cypriots. These figures represent a notable decrease from 2022 but still place Cyprus among the top EU countries with the highest rates of overqualified workers.

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Gender Disparity

The data reveals a stark gender disparity in overqualification rates. Women are significantly more likely to be overqualified than men across all worker categories. For non-EU women, the overqualification rate was 15.8 percentage points higher than for men. Among EU nationals and Cypriots, the rates were 12.6 and 5 percentage points higher for women, respectively.

Comparative Perspective

Cyprus ranks high alongside Greece, Italy, and Spain in terms of overqualification rates. While the EU’s average overqualification rate for non-EU citizens was 39.4%, Cyprus’ rate stood just below at 39.3%. However, the island nation still faces a challenge in ensuring that its workforce’s skills are effectively matched with job opportunities.

Implications for Policy and Economy

These findings highlight a critical issue for policymakers in Cyprus. Addressing the overqualification problem is essential for optimising the labour market and ensuring that the country can fully leverage its human capital. This situation calls for targeted strategies to create more high-skilled job opportunities and better align education outcomes with market needs.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 24, 2026

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.

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