Living or even temporarily working in Cyprus has become a lot more complicated for UK citizens since Brexit.
Back when both countries shared EU membership, UK citizens enjoyed the fundamental right to free movement of persons and workers, eliminating the need for employment visas, corporate sponsorships, or restrictive work permits.
On January 1, 2021, the rule changes from Brexit became effective, and from that exact day forward, UK citizens could no longer simply turn up and work in Cyprus.
What are the options?
If you are not married to an EU citizen, the options are significantly narrowed.
You can be hired as a skilled worker for a “company of foreign interest”, such as a fintech organisation, if you are essentially a specialist. You must earn a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,500 and possess a university degree or at least two years of relevant professional experience.
However, there is not a huge number of people who meet that criteria, so what else can you do?
There is potential to work in retail or hospitality, and it is far from simple. But, it’s less difficult than it used to be.
Previously, the local employer had to conduct a labour market check via the Ministry of Labour, and legally prove that no qualified Cypriot or EU citizen is available to do the job. As you can imagine, if you want to hire a barista or bartender, that would be very hard to prove.
It is still the case that the employer must sponsor your work permit before you travel. And due to the drop in tourism this summer, as well as cost and administrative burden, it may be harder to find local companies who will offer this kind of role to third-country nationals.
But the good news for Brits looking to work in Cyprus is that some changes were made to the legislation in December 2025 and rules were relaxed. Now, according to Gov.Cy, “maximum quotas for foreign staff are cancelled. Companies can freely employ any number of highly paid third-country nationals without going through a labour market check, and specialists are not limited to specific professions or skills.”
Also, the examination time of applications for residence and employment is set at one month, whereas it was previously six months. These changes were made to help support and attract companies to operate and/ or expand their activities in Cyprus.
This change is arguably something that went under the radar; give it a quick google search and you’ll find the results saying the labour market check is still in place.
If you don’t have a work permit, you can legally stay for up to 90 days as a tourist but you are strictly forbidden from doing any form of local work. Even casual labour or cash-in-hand work, working at a holiday resort, bar, or hostel, is not allowed.
In certain situations, if you know a friend or a relative who can slide you cash to run some errands, like dog walking, babysitting, or giving lifts, that could be an option, as long as you keep it strictly under the radar. But those opportunities are limited for most people, and it’s definitely not a lucrative way to live.
Overall, finding work here as a Brit has become easier since the legislative change became effective in December 2025, with the abolishment of the previous policy on the employment of personnel from third countries employed by companies of foreign interests. But it’s still nowhere near as easy as it used to be, especially if you are looking to settle here permanently and you don’t know the right people.