The Digital Labour Card comes into full effect from today for workers in human health activities (hospitals, treatment and diagnostic centres), excluding doctors; employment support activities; telecommunications; hairdressers; beauty centres; laundries; and services provided in buildings and outdoor areas, mainly cleaning services.
This is the first phase of the latest expansion of the Digital Labour Card, which began a pilot rollout on 2 June 2026 and is now moving to full implementation.
Labour and Social Security Minister Niki Kerameus said: «With this latest expansion, the Digital Labour Card protects almost half a million additional workers. In total, around 2.5 million workers are paid for their actual hours worked thanks to the Digital Labour Card.
It is a particularly useful tool that ensures transparency in the labour market by helping to combat under-reported and undeclared work. It also promotes fair competition while creating the fiscal space needed to redress injustices and increase benefits for citizens.
The Digital Labour Card is highly effective, as shown by official data from the «ERGANI» information system. Its use has led to increases in reported overtime of up to +1200% in certain sectors, while 2.7 million more overtime hours were reported in 2025 than in 2024».
The second phase of the Digital Labour Card expansion began on 29 June 2026 and will remain in pilot operation until 15 November. Full implementation for workers in the following sectors will begin on 16 November:
- Consultancy, advertising and other office activities
- Repairs
- Warehousing and transport support activities (logistics)
- Water and wastewater management
- Gambling
It is worth noting that more than 5.7 million overtime hours have already been recorded in the first seven months of 2026 in sectors covered by the Digital Labour Card, amounting to around 1.54 million more overtime hours than in the first seven months of 2025 (an increase of +36.8%).
By way of example:
- Wholesale trade: up 212.8% (+594,913 overtime hours)
- Administrative and support services in tourism: up 172.8% (+47,991 overtime hours)
- Food services: up 67.2% over the seven-month period (+323,049 overtime hours)
- Industry: up 15.4% over the seven-month period (+267,916 overtime hours)