<\/a><\/noindex>In the past, I traveled around Europe, even living in some places for a year or a year and a half, but then I had to return to my homeland. I started considering Cyprus about three years ago. I sent my resume to a couple of companies, eventually passed a personal interview with my future boss, and forgot about it. However, six months later, I received a call and soon got a job offer for the position I wanted.<\/p>\n
Why Cyprus<\/h2>\n \nEndless summer, the sea, fresh local products, and the mindset of the local population. They resemble us in their light-hearted attitude and generally optimistic outlook on life. A smile or a few casual phrases are enough to feel welcomed. There is no negative attitude toward foreigners here as, for example, in Austria. Additionally, their attitude toward Russians is influenced by the fact that although the Cypriot church is autocephalous, it is also Orthodox, and they consider us to be brothers in faith.<\/p>\n
Cyprus is not as noisy and 'narrow' as the Netherlands. There are places where you can escape from the crowds: tents, barbecues, mountain trails, and sea caves\u2014all in relatively pristine condition. In winter, if nostalgia strikes, you can go skiing, and after descending from the mountains, you can immediately swim while looking at a melting snowman.<\/p>\n
There are dozens of IT companies in the market, mainly in trading and finance, but there are also small games and application software. The tech stack is the same \u2014 Java, .NET, Kubernetes, Node.js; unlike the cutthroat enterprise sector, everything here is lively and modern. The scale of problems is certainly smaller, but the technologies are quite contemporary. The common language for communication is English, and the Cypriots speak it excellently and clearly, so there shouldn't be any issues.<\/p>\n
The downsides are mostly of a domestic nature; there's nothing you can do about it. You either accept them and enjoy life or move somewhere else. Specifically, +30 degrees Celsius at night in the summer (air conditioning); the locals' lack of urgency; a certain provincialism and localness, detached from 'culture.' You'll have to get used to local ailments like ARVI for the first year or so.<\/p>\n
Job Search<\/h2>\n \nI was not unique in this \u2014 HH.ru and LinkedIn. I filtered by country and began to browse suitable job vacancies. Usually, the company name is listed in the aggregators, so after finding an interesting job offer, Google would help me with the company website, and then I'd look for the Career section and HR contact details. Nothing complicated, the main thing is to compose the right resume. I'd say recruiters in Cyprus pay attention not so much to projects and experience but to formal criteria \u2014 programming languages, overall work experience, operating systems, and so on.<\/p>\n
The interview was conducted via Skype, and they didn't ask anything technically complex (after all, what can you really ask someone with 20 years of experience). It was all quite basic, motivation questions, a bit about ITIL, and why Cyprus.<\/p>\n
Arrival<\/h2>\n \nUnlike many other EU countries, you will obtain residency while already on the island. The required documents include a certificate of no criminal record, a birth certificate, and an education certificate. You don't need to translate anything \u2014 on one hand, translations may not be accepted, and on the other hand, Cyprus recognizes Russian official documents.
At the airport upon arrival, you may be asked for your hotel voucher, so be prepared for this. The hotel must, of course, be in the free part of Cyprus. It is not recommended to discuss the purpose of your visit with the border guard, especially if you have a pro-visa \u2014 if they don't ask, don\u2019t say anything; if they do ask \u2014 just say you are a tourist. There isn't a specific filter, but there is a chance they might limit your stay to the dates of your hotel reservation, which may not be enough time to submit your documents.<\/p>\n
Your employer will likely provide you with transfer and hotel accommodation for the initial period. After you sign the contract, you will need to arrange for car rental and housing.<\/p>\n
Contract<\/h2>\n \nCyprus follows the English colonial legal system. This means that the contract is binding (unless both parties renegotiate). The contract obviously cannot contradict the laws of Cyprus, but it is wise to read it thoroughly and understand the details to avoid complications later. Generally, employers are willing to make concessions if they are interested in you as a professional. The main points to pay attention to are remuneration (usually stated as the amount before your share of social insurance and income tax), working hours, vacation length, and any penalties and fees.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t fully understand the amount of take-home pay, Google can help; there are online calculators, for example, on the Deloitte website. There are mandatory payments for social insurance and recently to the healthcare system (a percentage of your salary), and there is an income tax calculated using a complicated stepped formula. The minimum amount of about 850 euros is not taxed, and the rate increases with the annual salary.<\/p>\n
Overall, salaries are in line with those in Moscow and St. Petersburg. For the employer, the costs for payroll are moderate, about up to 4,000 euros per month before taxes; beyond that, the tax share becomes significant and can exceed 30%.<\/p>\n
After signing the contract, one copy will be sent to the officials, so make sure to sign at least three copies. Do not give your copy to anyone; let them extract and copy it if necessary.<\/p>\n
Residence permit<\/h2>\n \nAfter the contract is formalized, the employer prepares a set of documents for obtaining a work permit and residence permit. You will be asked to visit an accredited doctor to get a blood test for AIDS and undergo a fluorography. Additionally, a state office will translate your certificate, diploma, and birth certificate. With this set of documents, you will go to the local immigration office, where you will be photographed, fingerprinted, and most importantly, receive a receipt. This receipt gives you the right to reside in Cyprus indefinitely until a response comes from the migration department, allowing for repeated border crossings. Formally, at this point, you can legally start working. Within a few weeks (3-4, sometimes longer), you will receive a temporary residence permit in the form of a plastic card with your photo, which will be your main document on the island. The duration is 1-2 years at the discretion of the authorities.<\/p>\n
Work permits for IT professionals from third countries can be obtained on one of two grounds: either a company with foreign capital or you as a highly qualified specialist (higher education) who could not be hired locally. In any case, if a company hires foreigners, it means that the permission is granted, and there is no need to worry about this.<\/p>\n
A temporary residence permit does not grant the right to visit European Union countries, so be careful. Therefore, I recommend obtaining a long-term Schengen visa while still at home \u2014 this way, you will kill two birds with one stone \u2014 entering Cyprus and going on vacation.<\/p>\n
Family members receive residence permits after obtaining their own residence permit. Relatives are included in the process but will not receive work permissions. There is an income requirement, but for IT professionals, this is usually not a problem; typically, it will be sufficient for a wife and children, and even a grandmother.<\/p>\n
After 5 years of residing on the island, you can apply for a permanent (unlimited) European residence permit for yourself and all family members (they will receive the right to work). After seven years, you can apply for citizenship.<\/p>\n
Housing and Infrastructure<\/h2>\n \nThere are 2.5 cities in Cyprus, with major workplaces in Nicosia and Limassol. Job opportunities are best in Limassol. The cost of renting decent housing starts at 800 euros; for this money, you will get an apartment with an ancient finish and furniture by the sea, or decent accommodation like a small villa in a village closer to the mountains. Utilities depend on the presence of a pool; basic payments (water, electricity) will average 100-200 euros per month. Heating is almost non-existent; in winter, people use air conditioning or kerosene heaters, and if you are lucky, heated floors.
Mobile data is relatively expensive\u2014a 2-gigabyte package will cost you 15 euros a month, and unlimited plans are not common. Calls, on the other hand, are cheap, including to Russia. There is European-wide free roaming.<\/p>\n
Limassol has a bus network, making it easy to head to the mountains or neighboring cities; there are even minibuses that come on-demand to your address. Public transport within the city runs on a schedule, but unfortunately, most routes stop operating by 5-6 PM.
You can only buy a car after obtaining a temporary residence permit. The market is full of cars from various years, including some older models; it is quite possible to find a decent vehicle for 500-1500 euros. Insurance will cost 100-200 euros per year, depending on experience and engine size. Technical inspection is required once a year.<\/p>\n
After six months of driving with foreign licenses, they need to be exchanged for Cypriot ones. This is not difficult \u2014 just fill out a form on the website and pay 40 euros. They will take the old license.<\/p>\n
The roads are quite decent, even rural ones. There are fines for speeding, but there are currently no automatic cameras. You can have a glass of beer, but I wouldn\u2019t play with fire.<\/p>\n
Prices for groceries vary significantly throughout the season; sometimes they are much lower than in Moscow, and sometimes they are comparable. But the quality is incomparable \u2014 fruits straight from the orchards, vegetables from the fields, and cheese made from cow's milk. The European Union regulates the standards, so the water and food are clean and healthy. You can drink tap water (though it is hard and not tasty).<\/p>\n
Political situation<\/h2>\n \nPart of Cyprus has been occupied by a neighboring country since 1974, leading to a dividing line across the island controlled by the UN. You can visit the other side, but it\u2019s better not to stay overnight, and especially not to buy property or engage in smuggling there, as issues may arise. The situation is gradually improving, but a final consensus is a long way off. <\/p>\n
Additionally, under an agreement with England regarding the decolonization of the island, the queen requested small parcels of land for military bases. In this part, everything is exactly the opposite \u2014 there are no borders (except for the bases themselves), and you can freely visit the English territory if you wish.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n \nFinding work in Cyprus is quite easy, but don\u2019t expect German salary levels. However, you get summer all year round, fresh products, and the sea to boot. Everything you need for an active lifestyle is available. There are virtually no issues with crime or interethnic relations.habr.com<\/a><\/p>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u041a\u0438\u043f\u0440 \u2014 \u043d\u0435\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u044e\u0433\u043e-\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043a\u0435 \u0415\u0432\u0440\u043e\u043f\u044b. \u0420\u0430\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0442\u0440\u0435\u0442\u044c\u0435\u043c \u043f\u043e \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0438\u043d\u0435 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u0421\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438\u0437\u0435\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0440\u044f. \u0421\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0415\u0432\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043e\u044e\u0437, \u043d\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0448\u0435\u043d\u0433\u0435\u043d\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435. \u0421\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438 \u0440\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f\u043d \u041a\u0438\u043f\u0440 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0430\u0441\u0441\u043e\u0446\u0438\u0438\u0440\u0443\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0441 \u043e\u0444\u0444\u0448\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u0438 \u043d\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0433\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043d\u044c\u044e, \u0445\u043e\u0442\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043c \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0435 \u044d\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c \u0442\u0430\u043a. \u041d\u0430 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0438\u043d\u0444\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442\u0443\u0440\u0430, \u043e\u0442\u043b\u0438\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u0438, \u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0451\u043c \u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u043e \u0432\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0431\u0438\u0437\u043d\u0435\u0441. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1,"featured_media":26327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[702],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t
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