How to find a job in Cyprus
Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. Its weather, history and culture make it a great destination to visit. But Cyprus is not only a great tourist destination, most people who visit get immediately enchanted and wish to relocate. For those of you who seek a more permanent stay in the island, it is of course important to establish some kind of basic revenue to support your way of living. You could re-locate or start a business here or you can apply for a job. In this chapter we will focus on the why, how and where’s for job searches in Cyprus so you will be neatly equipped to go conquer the employment market.
Language – English always works!
First of all, you should know that the main languages in the Southern parts of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish in the Northern part but that most people communicate adequately in English. Especially when you explore the business environment of the island, you will experience that people are very capable and willing to speak English.
Basic professional jobs and salaries in Cyprus
As in the rest of the EU countries, jobs and salaries vary in skill levels, experience and size of the company where you are placed. Gross salaries are a little lower in Cyprus than in the rest of the EU, but since the taxation rates are low, the salaries compete within the EU levels.
Here you have some basic jobs and estimate salaries:
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative | ||
| Secretary / PA | €15,000 | €30,000 |
| Assistant / Receptionis | €13,000 | €20,000 |
| Finance / Accounting | ||
| Senior Accountant | €40,000 | €65,000 |
| Qualified Accountant | €30,000 | €45,000 |
| Part Qualified Accountant | €20,000 | €30,000 |
| Forex | €18,000 | €45,000 |
| Human Resources | ||
| HR Manager | €30,000 | €65,000 |
| HR Assistant | €15,000 | €25,000 |
| Legal | ||
| Qualified Lawyer | €25,000 | €75,000 |
| Paralegal | €15,000 | €25,000 |
| Corporate Administrator | €18,000 | €35,000 |
| Compliance | €18,000 | €40,000 |
| IT / Software | ||
| IT Manager | €30,000 | €60,000 |
| Test Engineer(QA) | €20,000 | €35,000 |
| IT Administrator | €20,000 | €35,000 |
| Web Developer | €20,000 | €45,000 |
Here you may find the annual taxation rates according to your income:
| Annual income | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| €0 – €19,500 | 0% |
| €19,500 – €28,000 | 20% |
| €28,000 – €36,300 | 25% |
| €36,300 – €60,000 | 30% |
| Over €60,000 | 35% |
| (not including other potentially available incentives) | |
As for social benefits, Cyprus replaced their previous laws to meet EU standards. The Cyprus Guaranteed Minimum Income and Social Benefits Law was passed in 2014, covering all EU citizens as well as long-term with legal status within the EU.
• You can also expect some or all of these benefits:
• Annual bonuses
• Medical insurance
• Life insurance
• Pension Contributions
Typical requirement
As in the rest of the EU countries, jobs and salaries vary in skill levels, experience and size of the company where you are placed. Gross salaries are a little lower in Cyprus than in the rest of the EU, but since the taxation rates are low, the salaries compete within the EU levels.
To find a job, there are different ways for EU citizens and non-EU citizens.
EU citizens: European citizens can enter the country with the EU passport and look for a job within a period of up to 90 days. Once you get a job, you need to apply for a work permit and a temporary residence permit witch you get 6 months after submitting. The receipt of the process will work as legal document during that six-month period.
* Important: Only areas under Greek control count as the European Area and allow easy work access to EU citizens.
Non-EU citizens: For non-EU citizens finding a job is a little bit harder. You need to find a job before arriving to the country to obtain the work visa through the Ministry of Labour. This visa lasts between three months up to a year with renewal possibilities.
* Important: For non-EU citizens, the Cypriot government must certify that a national or EU citizen is not available to do the job.
* For non-EU citizens, the best way to get a job is to become an English teacher through private or international schools.
Required documents to apply for the work permit:
Application forms M.58 and M.64 (official state forms to be filled by applicant)
A photocopy of foreigner’s passport
A clean criminal record certificate of the foreigner
Medical certificates of the foreigner
A Bank letter of guarantee for 100-300 Euros, depending on the country of origin of the foreigner, to cover possible repatriation expenses, valid for six months after the expiration of the work contract
A work contract stamped by the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance and stamped with a revenue stamp from the Revenue Stamps Registrar.
A fee of 34.17 Euros for submission of application
After you get your work permit, you may apply for a citizenship by naturalization:
• After being a regular legal resident for 7 years.
• Temporary resident for 5 years + 2 years as permanent resident.
* If you are citizen of EU-country then different (simplified) conditions for temporary residence acquisition apply. (Please see our immigration and permanent residency section)
* If a non-EU Member buys a residential property for himself and his family for the amount of €300.000 or more, his application for Permanent Residence, visa Category F will be examined favorably.
Finding a job
There are a variety of ways to look for a job. The easiest way may be to have a contact in Cyprus or to work in a job that has an office in the island and just relocate. But, understanding these characteristics are not common, we encourage to use job-finding sites in the internet.
These mechanisms are widely used by businesses seeking for professionals. The platforms have filters where you can seek in your specific field. You can even choose your city of preference. We suggest you broaden your search to find more possibilities.
These are some of the websites we suggest:
https://karierakypros.com/CY/Default.aspx
https://www.learn4good.com/jobs/language/english/list/country/cyprus/
* We suggest you look in all sites as some employers do not post their vacancies on all of them.
As an EU citizen, you may also register as unemployed. You have to register physically in the PES office with an identity card or passport, as well as the prototypes or valid copies of their diplomas/degrees (including gymnasium/ lyceum certificates) and certificates of any professional exam successfully completed, all in Greek or English. In some EU countries, it is even possible to take bring your unemployment benefits from your home country directly to Cyprus. Normally, there is a limit of three months but this is definitely something you should check with your unemployment Agency in your home country before going. Once you are registered as unemployed in Cyprus, the unemployment application has to be renewed:
• Every six weeks for unemployed and job seekers.
• Every six months for people seeking a better job.
• Every two months for people seeking employment with a specific employer or at a
specific location.
There are some tips we can suggest to find a job. For example, you need a good CV (curriculum vitae) and a great cover letter. The CV will let the employer see your qualifications, education, experiences and special skills. The cover letter will persuade them to go your way.
Suggestions for your CV:
• Most professional Cypriots CV’s are two A4 pages.
• If seeking for a part time, you may have a one page CV.
• Craft a basic CV to work with and keep it simple. Use only bold, capital letters and
large font sizes to emphasize special points, do not abuse them.
• Value job descriptions so your CV is related.
• Include good references. Preferably respected people in your field.
• Always keep your CV updated.
• Avoid being generic.
Suggestions for cover letter:
• It should be an honest essay form letter, no longer than one page.
• Use the basic header, introduction, body and closing format.
• Explain your qualifications and motivations without bragging.
• Value job descriptions so your CV is related.
• Tailor yourself to the role.
• Include employers name.
• Explain what you can do for the company. Why will you be an asset?
Interview
Depending on the job you are seeking, the interview process itself may differ. Some job interviews will only require a single interview, whereas other may require as many as three interviews before you are offered the position. You will be required to speak to your potential employer, and possibly stage written tests to better understand your personality, skills and basic knowledge. Always try to dress in a professional manner and always be on time. Even though many Cypriots are perfectly capable of speaking English, you may also want to consider learning some Greek phrases such as “hi”, “godday”, “how are you” and so on. Not only is this a great way of letting the individual you are speaking with know that you are willing to learn to language but it also shows some humility that you are willing to speaking in a language you are very unfamiliar with.
Create your own business
Cyprus is thriving with new businesses. Many companies have located here for the great business conditions, stable economy, attractive taxation system, weather, low crime rates and location. If you want to create your own business, we highly encourage you to check out our chapter about creating a business in Cyprus.
Because not only is it easy to set up a company on the island, Cyprus also offers some very attractive settings for your company. For this specific area, we suggest you contact a local lawyer to see you throughout the whole process.
Finally…
We encourage you to explore the possibilities Cyprus has to offer you. The country is growing rapidly and all new comers will benefit from the country’s growth. We encourage you to use this guide, and upon consideration, seek further within our catalog for more accurate information regarding our beautiful country. Hope to see you soon!
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Got any questions?