Labour Minister Marinos Moushouttas has issued a new decree expanding the sectors and professions in which third-country students are permitted to work, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette.
The decision follows extensive consultations between social partners aimed at addressing persistent labour shortages across the Cypriot economy. Under the new regulations, students from non-EU countries may now seek employment in several specific industries, provided they have completed their first academic semester and are enrolled in their second.
Permitted sectors and roles
The decree outlines a diverse range of eligible occupations, spanning hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing. Key permitted roles include:
- Hospitality and Catering: Kitchen assistants, cleaners, waiters, barmen, and receptionists.
- Healthcare: Carers in homes for the elderly and ward assistants in clinics (subject to secondary education and basic Greek language requirements).
- Trade and Services: Petrol station attendants, car wash workers, delivery drivers for food or mail, and building cleaners.
- Industry and Agriculture: Bakery and recycling unit workers, night shift factory labourers, and workers in the farming, livestock, and fishing sectors.
- Domestic Work: Occasional household tasks.
Strict compliance requirements
To legally employ a student under this decree, employers and students must provide specific documentation to the Department of Labour. This includes a certificate of full-time enrolment, a residence permit, and a formal employment contract stamped by the Department of Labour detailing the terms of work.
The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) has urged businesses to familiarise themselves with the new framework to ensure full regulatory compliance.
However, the move has drawn cautious responses from trade unions. Andreas Matsas, General Secretary of the SEK union, noted that while the decree provides a temporary solution for the labour market, a more comprehensive regulation of third-country labour would be preferable. He expressed concern that the new arrangement must not lead to the further deregulation of the labour market or the exploitation of vulnerable students by employers.