How to find a job in Cyprus?

This island state attracts a huge number of migrants both from the post-Soviet space and from around the world. Serious and well-paid work in Cyprus is an opportunity not only to improve your financial situation, but also to open your own business. Or just have a good time in a warm country. For what reason Cyprus attracts such a large number of comers, the article will be discussed.

Popularity

The outflow of migrant workers to warm beaches began in the nineties. The goal is obvious - the search for a better life. This dynamic continues today. And there are a number of reasons for this:

This is a small quiet state with a measured and leisurely rhythm of life, which contributes to a smooth ascent on the career ladder.
National cuisine attracts many who wish to eat both deliciously and adopt the culinary skills of local chefs.
Cyprus is a haven for enthusiasts. It is here that people who want to occupy their niche in the field of services and entertainment flock to one of the most popular resorts in the world.

The island has no problems with personnel and easily provides employment not only for local residents, but also for visitors. Even for people who do not have any special ambitions, a job search in Cyprus usually takes no more than a week. The tourism sector is a tidbit for expats from any country. Hotels, restaurants, the entertainment industry - everywhere workers are required.

For more motivated people, two or three months is enough to look around, get used to the rhythm of life and get a high-paying position in Cyprus.

Required specialties

The resort does not exceed the number of cities in Europe, but immigrants seek it here. When wondering how to get a job in Cyprus, you should immediately remember what vacancies are associated with the sea, the sun and beaches: these are maids, porters, managers, reception, chefs and even heads of guest houses.

Since April, travel companies, hotels, cafes, restaurants, and pleasure yachts have been hiring staff for the season, which lasts until October. Such work in Cyprus for Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians (as well as immigrants from all over the former Soviet Union) is characterized by irregular working hours, as well as lower wages.

For example, for six (or even seven) days a week (you will have to work eight, nine or ten hours), a migrant receives approximately 350-700 € per month. While the locals for less than 1000 € will not agree to work. This is one of the reasons why the stream of people wishing to earn does not weaken from year to year: it is easier for local companies to hire visitors. Of course, those should have the appropriate knowledge, skills.

Management vacancies

More serious jobs like a chef or a small bar manager are already priced around 2500 €, and the hotel owner already has from 2000 to 4000 € (it all depends on the number of rooms, their size and the services provided).

Work in Cyprus as an employee on pleasure yachts has a simplified procedure for registration, because these vacancies are also popular. Of course, the applicant must have the appropriate international certificates. The salary of a labor migrant in this case varies in the range from 1000 to 1500 € maximum, while a local resident works for money from 1500 € and higher.

Non-travel destinations

The question of how to find work in Cyprus as Russian, who do not have any outstanding skills in foreign languages, was asked by migrants back in the nineties. But everything is not as complicated as it seems. There are many vacancies that do not necessarily provide for interaction with vacationers from other countries of the world, that is, non-travel specialties.

Of course, the applicant must have certain knowledge (not to communicate the sign languages with the employer) in order to work in such positions as, say, a cargo ship mechanic. There are few companies providing such jobs, and the fee is very dependent on the employer, but on average varies in the range from 4000 to 5000 €.

Hotel administrators also recruit mechanics for assembling, installing and repairing agricultural machinery (for example, lawn mowers, lawn automatic irrigation systems), as well as servicing prefabricated pools. Payment about 2000 €.

Is there a job for girls?

Cyprus offers a wide selection of locations. The applicant can only decide what the soul lies to and what payment is acceptable.

The first thought is to work as a guide in Cyprus. Mostly such places are offered on sightseeing yachts, museums, tourist buses and even casinos.

The second is staff like waitresses, cleaners, dishwashers, as well as bartenders, hostesses and dancers.

In all cases, knowledge of the language is required. Since the island has been an English colony for a very long time, many residents speak this language. Due to the fact that many emigrants from the countries of the former USSR settled in Cyprus, knowledge of the Russian language is welcome. Greek is a big plus.

Among competitors for a vacant place, you can see immigrants from Turkey, India and Pakistan.

Skilled workers

In Cyprus, there is an acute shortage of experienced doctors, dentists, lawyers and accountants. But we are not talking about the whole island, but only about some regions. For example, cities like Nicosia and Limassol do not need such personnel, there are already plenty of them.

The difficulty in working in this area is that it is not enough to have the appropriate diploma in hand, it also needs to be confirmed.

Activities in this area include opening your own business. That is, you should issue a license, take into account all possible risks, unforeseen expenses and open a private clinic. For example, in a region with a population of about 3,000 people, a dentist already has a revenue of about 5,000 € in his second year of work.

More options

Work in Cyprus is possible in not too popular areas. That is, we need specialists who simply know how to do something better than others. And in this case, the presence of an appropriate diploma does not matter. We are talking about technologists and chemists in the field of nutrition.

This category also includes builders, installers, carpenters and painters. This niche has been occupied by immigrants from Poland and Bulgaria for a very long time, but due to the fact that they have recently stopped coming to Cyprus, the demand for specialties is growing again.

IT sphere

In the country of azure beaches and the friendly sun, information technology specialists are looking for their niche.

Work as a programmer in Cyprus is not so common, because most of the ads concern the tourism industry. But if you monitor sites, vacancies then appear, then disappear. Therefore, to say that such specialists are not in demand is wrong. Such activity, as a rule, is not seasonal, and the employer is interested in long-term cooperation, therefore, the applicant must have with him the appropriate package of documents.

In any case, there are IT companies where staff may be needed, because if you want to look for a job as a programmer in Cyprus, here is a list of some offices:

Amdocs is a manufacturer of billing and operational support software.
PrimeTel is the MVNO virtual mobile network operator with headquarters in Nicosia.
Asbis is an international holding company engaged in the sale of information technology products.
ThunderWorx - provides Cyprus with all kinds of communications like power lines and more.

These are far from all the companies represented in the republic. For the most part, they are all international and simply open another office in a city, which serves as a very strong motivation for the applicant to move to a warm country.

Work with real estate

Occupation, which does not always imply employment directly in Cyprus. Real estate is often offered by large holdings, which are represented as small companies in various cities. For example, Solnechnaya Dolina (a member of the North-West holding) offers a job as a manager who will sell housing in the city of Limassol.

The list of official obligations also includes meetings and communication with a potential client (which implies language skills), demonstration of the object and monitoring of prices of competing companies.

It is not easy to get such a job, because work experience in this position is required, and without knowledge of Greek (or at least English) at the highest level, they may even be refused an invitation to an interview.

Territorial differences

Many people know that the island is divided into Southern and Northern Cyprus. Residents of these regions have been at war with each other for many years and uphold their own independence. The north belongs to Turkey, and the southern part of the island is in the European Union and is considered Greek.

The south is more hospitable, and people come here, as there are no special problems with employment. But it is more difficult to find work for Russians in northern Cyprus due to the fact that a large percentage of immigrants from Turkey and, accordingly, many employers put forward requirements in the form of knowledge of the Turkish language.

Where and how to look for work?

There are different ways. The easiest is to use the search engine, find a suitable site (fortunately, there are a great many of them), attach a resume in English and leave your data for communication. Another option is to use the Internet resources of the Employment Service of Cyprus.

If the search did not return results, you should find official projects belonging to the Cypriot print media and read the advertisements from employers. The same thing can be done already on the island, just holding a newspaper or magazine.

In addition to the indicated methods of finding vacancies remotely, you can come directly to the employer already on the island, immediately go through an interview and get an answer about hiring. In case of refusal, it is advisable to contact any recruitment agency (there are a great many of those on the island), where they are always ready to help the applicant, show available vacancies and give a couple of practical employment tips.

General requirements for the applicant

Firms make their own conditions based on the nuances of a vacant workplace, but there are points that are mandatory for everyone:

lack of significant health problems;
criminal record is not welcome;
foreign language skills: English and Turkish are required for Northern Cyprus, and English and Greek for Southern Cyprus;
computer skills;
work experience in a similar position.

The last point is especially important not only for programmers or girls who want to get a season as a nanny or governess, but also for representatives of all specialties that involve interacting with people. For example, working as a guide in Cyprus requires possessing a number of qualities such as the ability to understand the interlocutor and convey information, because tourists often have questions.

Package of documents

As mentioned above, there are a lot of vacancies. The main thing is to decide on the direction and keep the course in the chosen sphere of employment. Before flying to the resort, you should apply for a visa and work permit in Cyprus. One of the following is issued (depends on the chosen field and industry):

A (if the activity relates to agriculture and is self-employed).
B (also not wage labor, but in the field of mining).
C (self-employment in trade).
D (employment in research is also self-employed).
E (contracted activities as part of a proposal from a Cyprus company).
F (issued to tourists with a large financial income who do not require labor).

To obtain a visa, you must collect the following package:

submit the completed application form;
passport (copy and original);
document confirming the absence of a criminal record;
health certificate;
bank statement, indicating the presence of a sufficient amount of funds in the account;
an employment contract with a Cyprus company, where the migrant is going to get a job;
color photo 3 x 4 cm;
receipt of payment of a visa fee.

The above-mentioned papers are handed over to the migration service after a job is found, an interview has been completed and an employment contract has been drawn up. The entire procedure for considering an application can take about three months, after which a long-awaited visa for a year is issued. After the expiration of the term there is the possibility of an extension of another 12 months.

Another document

The matter is not limited to a work visa, you also need to obtain a work permit in Cyprus. How to do it? All the same package of documents should be collected (only a copy is sufficient instead of the original passport) and provided to the employer.

The representative of the organization (as a rule, the human resources department) is sent to the Department, which keeps records of labor migrants in the country, and provides the specified package of documents. Particular attention should be paid that all this time the applicant should be in his homeland and wait for the response of the Cypriot side.

After a positive response, you can pack up and go to the country of beaches and sun. On arrival, only 8 days are given for medical examination, apartment rental and other issues of a household and organizational nature.

You should not deceive the legislation, because for trying to get an illegal illegal job, a large fine awaits not only the company that hired the employee without paperwork, but also the migrant himself. In addition, it will end with a forced deportation back to the homeland and a ban on entry in the future.

Nuances

It is very difficult, but possible, to search for vacancies for immigrants from the post-Soviet space abroad. By the way, reviews of work in Cyprus, stating that there is none at all, are untrue. It is most often the red tape with documents that causes difficulties.

Not all companies go for quotas for foreign workers. Moreover, there are very few posts on the island that a local resident cannot take. But there are decisions in terms of freelance: you can be in Cyprus, working for an organization that is based in another country.

As a result, for example, the creator of computer graphics with Russian citizenship, who works for, say, EA Games, is regarded as an ordinary Russian working for an American company and does not cause any complaints. Or an IT specialist working at an office in Moscow will also not have any problems. The latter option, by the way, is an excellent example of how to find work in Cyprus for Russian freelancers.

But, as mentioned above, a residence permit and a work visa are required.

Conclusion

Summing up, it should be said that many Russians compare Cyprus with Moscow in terms of price. The cost of rental housing fluctuates around a figure of 400 €. But if in the capital we are talking about a standard one-room apartment (by the way, a small studio in Cyprus will cost about 150 euros), then the Cypriots offer private households for the same amount of about 90 m ².

Answering the question of how to find work in Cyprus for Russians, Belarusians or Ukrainians (and indeed immigrants from any country), it is enough to say that you need knowledge of English and a desire to develop. In order to perfectly master a foreign language, you need to surround yourself with native speakers and literally "immerse yourself" in the features of speech, moving towards your goal step by step.

Locals often open Greek schools where they teach the language of visitors. Of course, this is not free, but those who want to stay live in Cyprus are happy to spend time on this event. After all, any beginning is difficult, and knowledge of a second foreign language is a huge step towards the goal.

Work in Cyprus, whatever one may say, requires interaction with both colleagues and local residents. It is unlikely that anyone would want to sit locked up when the sea, the sun and gentle sand are near. To do this, you should know the local features.

For example, many write that crime is completely absent. Of course, there is one. But in comparison with European states, the level of crime on the island is prohibitive.

In addition to rental housing, you should consider utility bills:

Sewerage and water supply - about 30 € per month.
Pool - also generates costs. If this is common, then the amount within 70 € is divided into all houses whose residents bathe in it. If it’s private, payment for cleaning services is made by the owner of the house. Or you can do a planned disinfection yourself, then the cost of chemistry will cost 20 €.
Electricity - from 25 to 150 €. Since there is no central heating, the water simply heats up on a sunny day in barrels placed on the roofs (on a cloudy day - boilers save). Air conditioners are used as heating in winter (at night the temperature drops to +3 ° C) and for cooling in summer.
Gas is not everywhere. Summed up, as a rule, in new buildings. The rest are satisfied with cylinders, which are enough for a month. Replacement - 10 €.
And, of course, such a benefit of modern society as an Internet connection costs about 50 €.

Summing up, it should be said that some refuse such luxurious apartments with costs of about 800 € per month and choose a small cozy apartment for which a smaller amount is paid - somewhere around 300 €. Here, to each his own.

Many people choose private houses near the sea. In addition, it is better to buy real estate so as not to pay rent and not spend money that you can invest in your own business. You just need to plan everything correctly and prioritize.

But in general, Cyprus was, is and will be a paradise for enthusiasts who decided to move to build their own bright future. The main thing is to get used to the local leisurely lifestyle. After all, where to rush when around the sea, sand and a beautiful starry sky. And clean air attracts you to exercise and improve your body.