As of June 7, employers in Cyprus and across the EU will be required to disclose salary levels before interviews

As of June 7, unified pay transparency requirements will enter into force across all European Union countries, including Cyprus. Employers will now be required to inform candidates in advance about the starting salary or its range before the interview, and it will now be prohibited to ask applicants about their past earnings. This European Commission directive is aimed at increasing transparency and reducing the gender pay gap, which averages 11.1% across the EU. Member states are required to implement these rules into national legislation by June 7, 2026.
In addition to changes in hiring, the new rules give employees the right to request information about their own salary and to learn the average pay level for men and women in similar positions. In addition, companies with 100 or more employees are now required to publish data on the pay gap between workers of different genders.
If the pay gap exceeds 5% and has no objective justification, the company will be required to review its pay system. At the same time, the burden of proof changes: it will now be the employer who must prove in court that there was no discrimination. EU countries are required to introduce penalties for violations of these rules, and workers who face discrimination will be able to claim compensation with the support of trade unions.