The shortage of workers in the construction industry is placing increasing pressure on project delivery, affecting not only new developments but also the renovation and restoration of existing buildings.
According to contractors, it can take up to eight months to find staff, leaving smaller projects at a disadvantage compared with major construction developments at a time when hundreds of dangerous buildings require intervention.
Representatives of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK), the Federation of Cyprus Building Contractors Associations (OSEOK) and the Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV) told Politis that growing demand in the construction sector, coupled with limited labour availability, is making it increasingly difficult for contractors to carry out projects.
In the case of dangerous buildings, however, labour shortages are not the only obstacle, with ownership, financial and legislative issues adding further complications.
Six to eight months to find workers
OSEOK president Stelios Gavriel described the scale of the problem, saying that it can take six to eight months for a company to recruit workers after identifying staffing needs.
According to Gavriel, construction activity remains high as projects licensed in previous years have now entered the implementation phase, creating additional demand for labour.
The shortage is affecting projects already under way as well as renovations and new developments due to begin.
He said the shortages extend to almost all technical trades, including steel fixers, formwork specialists, aluminium workers and stonemasons.
Additional pressure is being created by Syrian workers returning to their home country, as well as workers from other European countries leaving Cyprus after finding employment opportunities in their countries of origin.
Contractors favour large projects
The limited availability of labour is also influencing the type of projects contractors choose to undertake.
As Gavriel explained, both large and small projects require supervisory staff, site managers or engineers. However, in larger developments, those resources can be deployed on work of greater scale and productivity.
As a result, contractors increasingly favour larger developments over smaller projects, creating additional difficulties for lower-value works.
This reality is particularly significant in the case of dangerous buildings, where the required interventions often involve individual repairs or restoration works on existing structures.
Dangerous buildings pose unique challenges
ETEK secretary-general Andreas Theodotou highlighted the particular difficulties faced by owners of dangerous buildings.
He said the high level of construction activity and labour shortages limit contractors' ability to respond to repair requirements.
According to Theodotou, dangerous buildings are often projects that contractors are reluctant to undertake because many involve jointly owned properties with numerous owners and added management complications.
At the same time, unforeseen structural damage may be discovered during restoration works, requiring additional interventions and increasing costs.
The combination of these factors, together with shortages of available or affordable labour, makes such projects even more difficult to undertake, he said.
The problem is compounded by the fact that once dangerous buildings are identified and notices issued, owners must complete the required procedures, secure engineering services and seek contractors to perform the necessary works.
Labour shortages are not the only obstacle
OEV director general Michalis Antoniou placed greater emphasis on other causes of delays in repairing dangerous buildings.
Speaking to Politis, he acknowledged that labour shortages are a serious challenge for the construction industry but argued that the main obstacles in such cases arise before work can begin.
According to Antoniou, issues involving owners' consent, securing the necessary funding and completing legal procedures can prevent repairs from proceeding, even where sufficient labour is available.
He also expressed the view that once the required procedures have been completed and a dangerous building is deemed to require immediate intervention, the construction sector can prioritise the work in order to protect human life.
Legislative changes under discussion
Meanwhile, the House Interior Committee is examining changes to the legislative framework governing dangerous buildings.
According to Theodotou, proposals under consideration include strengthening the powers of District Local Government Organisations so they can carry out required interventions when owners fail to respond.
Under the current framework, he explained, a court order is required if an owner refuses access to a building.
Proposed amendments would allow intervention without the owner's consent and without a prior court order, subject to conditions that have yet to be determined.
Additional mechanisms for recovering the cost of works from owners are also under discussion.
Lawmakers are also considering the introduction of periodic building inspections, a so-called building MOT, under which the first inspection would take place 25 years after a building enters use, followed by inspections every five years.
Employers seek changes to foreign worker rules
At the same time, employer organisations continue to press for changes to the framework governing the recruitment of workers from third countries.
The OSEOK president argued that the current quota system, which imposes limits of 30% and 50% depending on whether businesses are covered by collective agreements, does not adequately meet the needs of smaller contractors and subcontractors.
The federation is calling for employment approvals to be linked to the actual needs of each business, provided collective agreements and labour legislation are respected.
It is also proposing adjustments to the categories for which work permits are issued, allowing companies to recruit entry-level workers and tradespeople who would gain the required experience through training.
OSEOK is scheduled to hold an expanded meeting on 14 November with representatives from all districts to determine the sector's next steps.
From the OEB side, Antoniou said contacts with the government are continuing to address labour shortages, with particular emphasis on the employment of foreign workers.
He noted that a range of business concerns were discussed during OEB's meeting with the President of the Republic last August and that further contacts have since taken place to promote the federation's proposals.
Antoniou clarified that although the government has shown willingness to seek solutions, no specific commitments or decisions have yet been made.
The OEB executive committee is expected to meet on 17 November to determine the priorities it will raise at its next meeting with the President, the date of which has not yet been finalised.
