The Cypriot employment laws are more social in nature rather than official. They are based on a combination of principles from the English legal system and the Greek legal system. The institutions that are responsible for enforcing employment laws in Cyprus are the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance and the Employment Courts.

In relation to the right to work in Cyprus, the terms and conditions for foreign nationals are exactly the same as those for Cypriot citizens. This is enhanced and supported by the employment contracts required by the Ministry of Labour. For a foreign national to gain permission to work in Cyprus, they must submit an application for a work permit, this is the case for those from non-EU countries. This is taken care of by the Migration Department and is regulated by the District Aliens and Immigration Branch of the Police. For a foreigner to get a work permit, they must be able to prove that they have a work contract and then get this signed and confirmed by the Ministry of Labour. Under Cypriot law, working without a valid permit is against the law and considered to be a serious criminal offence which can result in both or either a fine or imprisonment for both the employee or the employer. However, the case is different with EU citizens who can work without any restrictions in Cyprus.

Department Of Labour – Legislation’ (Mlsi.gov.cy, 2017) http://www.mlsi.gov.cy/mlsi/dl/dl.nsf/dmllegislation_en/dmllegislation_en> accessed 22 July 2017

Employment is in the base of every country and every person’s life. It is a vital area in which two main parts co-live: employer and employee. But it usually also means a complex relation in which the interests of each party are confronted. For this reason, Employment Law is necessary in each country.

Employment Law usually covers all parts of the labour relation: rights, obligations and responsibilities of all parts included in it, from salaries to holidays. Each country has specifics in employment law, which means that points such as the number of hours worked per week or the legal rights of a pregnant woman are probably not going to be the same in each country, even though they will be included in the Employment Law.

In the following chapter, we will take a deeper look at Employment law in the country.