All European citizens have the right to seek work in most countries of the EU. The Republic of Cyprus has not adopted a transitional agreement, and thus the principle of the freedom of movement of workers between EU countries is applicable in full.

Under the Freedom of Movement and Residence of Nationals of the Member States of the European Union and of their Family Members Law of 2003, nationals of other Member States must take steps to obtain a residence permit within three months of entering the Republic, except where their employment is seasonal. 

The procedure which all European citizens must follow after arriving in Cyprus is laid down in the Freedom of Movement and Residence of Nationals of the Member States of the EU and of their Family Members Law of 2003. The procedure requires European citizens who come to Cyprus for work to register with the Central Register of Aliens. After being registered, they can look for work if they wish, either through the district labour offices (in all of the cities) or by approaching employers directly themselves. They must submit an application for a residence permit to the Population and Migration Archive within three months. Persons who are receiving unemployment benefit in the country from which they come must bring an E303 certificate with them. 

The main ways of finding work in Cyprus include: 

• use of the Public Employment Services (PES); 
• use of private employment agencies; 
• reading of advertisements in the press; 
• personal acquaintance. 

The public employment services are attached to the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance and operate centrally and at district level.

There are four district labour offices – one in each city – and two branches (Paralimni and Poli Chrysyhous); these offer services free of charge to persons who are seeking employment or better employment and to employers who are looking for workers. 

Persons who are seeking work must: 

• register at any District Labour Office, regardless of where they are living, and renew their application for assistance with finding work at fixed intervals; 
• furnish, when registering for work, an identity card or a passport or an alien’s registration document and the originals or certified copies of their diplomas/educational qualifications, their lower or upper secondary school leaving certificate or certificates awarded following any professional examinations; 
• a person from a multichild family must furnish a multichild family identity card;
• disabled persons must furnish a medical certificate of disability; 

The following persons can register at a district labour office in order to find work:

• persons who have reached 15 years of age; 
• citizens of Cyprus and of the other countries of the European Economic Area;
• foreign nationals who are of Cypriot origin on their mother’s or father’s side, provided that they furnish the identity card issued by the Identity Cards Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when registering; 
• political refugees; 
• foreign spouses of Cyprus nationals. 

If a person who has submitted an application for help with finding work refuses to attend a recruitment interview or refuses an offer of employment without good reason, the application is struck off. 

The Employment Services offer the following services to employers: 

• help with filling vacancies for part-time, full-time and irregular workers; 
• information about conditions and terms of employment and labour legislation;
• information about training and further training opportunities and about opportunities for raising the skills of their labour force; 
• apprenticeship training through the Apprenticeship System. 

When notifying a vacancy, the employer is required to complete a special form providing information about the nature of the vacant post and the terms of employment. The sending of persons for interview is attended to by the labour office of the district in which the place of employment is located.