Are you planning a move to Cyprus and wondering where your skills might fit in? Let's dive in and see which specialists are welcomed with open arms, how much they are paid and how the local job market really works.
Economic landscape
Despite the global headwinds, the economy of Cyprus in 2024-2025 is resilient and is growing faster than the average in Europe. The outlook is positive across the board, with both the European Commission and the IMF releasing optimistic forecasts. Bottom line? It’s a fantastic time to build a career here, especially an international one. The government is actively attracting business and skilled specialists to the island.
The reason for the growth? Firstly, people have more money, and inflation has slowed down — everyone started spending more. Secondly — and this is the main thing — Cyprus has ceased to be a country of only tourism. Today IT, digital, financial, legal and marketing services, as well as maritime shipping, bring in just as much revenue, if not more.
The economic model is evolving, reducing the historically formed dependence on tourism and the banking sector. Today, a significant part of export revenue is generated in sectors requiring high qualifications: from software development to tax consulting. Therefore, the demand in the labor market has shifted towards specialists with serious technical and digital skills and international experience.
From an offshore center to a tech hub
The world is changing, and Cyprus has to adapt. This does not mean that the famous Cypriot "siga-siga" (slowly-slowly) has disappeared somewhere, but at the government level it became clear: "brainpower" was needed for development. So, in just a few years, the island transformed from an offshore haven into a notable IT hub of the Mediterranean. The share of high-tech services in the economy has sharply increased, and the main boom was in IT, fintech and marketing consulting.
It’s also worth noting that a powerful driver for this modernization is the European Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). It is aimed at green and digital technologies, increasing the efficiency of public administration and improving the business environment. The paradox is that spending the budget hasn’t been easy. They need people who can turn these ideas into reality, people with experience in management and in related fields, such as environmental consulting or digital transformation.
Headquartering policy forms a new system of services
The surge in demand for highly skilled professionals is also fueled by the program to attract international companies to locate their headquarters in Cyprus. This push is backed by tax incentives.
This program launches a chain reaction: companies arrive — they need offices (hello, builders and realtors!), legal, accounting and marketing support. Expat families need good schools, which means — teachers. Thus, following big business, all related sectors are also growing.
Analysis of the Cyprus labor market
And now the good news for those who are looking for a job: unemployment in Cyprus is at a record low (about 5% at the beginning of 2025), and the average monthly salary rose by 5.7% last year. The situation with youth is especially impressive — finding a first job has become much easier. What does this mean in practice? It’s a job seeker’s market. Let's be clear: it’s not you competing for a great employer — it’s them competing for you. This gives you a strong hand when negotiating your salary and benefits.
By the way, the employment rate for the core 20-64 age group hit 79.9% by the end of 2024, which is higher than the average indicators for the EU. With so much growth, the number of people employed climbed to an impressive 490,332.
The cypriot workforce
If you look at the main jobs in Cyprus, everything becomes obvious: it is a service economy in its pure form. More than 81% of the employed are in service. In 2nd place is industry and construction with 16.5%. Lagging behind is agriculture with a figure of 2.3% of the total number of employed.
According to CyStat, the highest growth of jobs in the 1st quarter of 2024 was in the sub-sectors of the service sphere: education, provision of temporary housing and public catering, administrative assistance. All this suggests that the spheres are not standing still.
Paradoxes of the labor market — a window for expats
And so we have come to the main paradox of the Cypriot labor market, which is a window of opportunity for expats. On the one hand, there are many locals in the country with good diplomas who do not work in their specialty. According to Eurostat, a staggering 30% of all workers in Cyprus fall into this category. On the other hand — in key industries (like IT or engineering) there is a critical shortage of talent. This is a chance! Frustrated by the local talent pool, many employers are now opening their doors to foreigners. Moreover, they are increasingly looking not at the diploma, but at real experience and a digital portfolio.
The European Job Mobility Portal (EURES) in its report for the previous year identified 3 groups of shortage professions:
Information and communication technology specialists Builders and workers in related professions Cleaners and assistants
Deeper reports say that a shortage is felt in the green sector, construction, scientific professions, engineering, mathematics and among nursing staff. And indeed, forecasts up to 2025 confirm the trend, adding that the most in-demand skills are in the fields of marketing, cybersecurity, data science healthcare, green energy and artificial intelligence.
In-demand professions
Let's get specific. So where are the real opportunities?
IT, FinTech, Forex, Gaming. This is the undisputed leader in the number of vacancies. They are looking for everyone here: from developers, data scientist, and cybersecurity specialists to product managers.
Finance and consulting. The eternal classic of Cyprus. And today the sector is experiencing a new round of development. Good accountants, auditors and corporate lawyers are being snapped up.
Maritime transport (Shipping) makes a significant contribution to the GDP. Although the total number of vacancies is smaller than in IT, in terms of salaries and stability — this is a real premier league. The entire maritime industry is based in Limassol. The offices of shipping companies always need specialists in chartering, crewing (crew selection), as well as maritime lawyers and accountants who understand the specifics of this complex business.
Beyond these key areas, other sectors are crying out for talent. The tourism sector is looking for managers and digital marketers. The construction sector, according to estimates, needs 5,000 qualified workers and engineers. Healthcare is now looking for up to 500 nurses — many vacancies are open in hospitals and private clinics.
An important trend in the market across all sectors is the hunt for experience. Companies here are not looking for beginners, but for established professionals Middle and Senior. Business is set up for data-driven growth and scaling, so it needs people who can come and immediately take responsibility.
That is why Cyprus offers high salaries for qualified experts: the country imports not cheap labor, but valuable human capital — your experience and knowledge.
Salaries and taxes
I have heard Cyprus being called the "island of millionaires". But not everything is so straightforward. The country has an official minimum wage: 1000 euros (after 6 months of work 900 euros) before tax deduction. According to the latest data, the average salary hovers around 2 600 euros for men and 2 150 euros for women. But for qualified specialists in in-demand industries, this is only a starting point — the real figures are significantly higher.
So, what’s the take-home pay actually like? Cyprus has a progressive income tax scale, and the good news for specialists with a low salary is that the first 19,500 euros are not taxed. Then the rates are as follows:
Annual income from 0 to 19,500 euros: 0%;
From 19,501 euros to 28,000 euros: 20%;
From 28,001 to 36,300 euros: 25%;
From 36,301 to 60,000 euros: 30%;
Over 60,001 euros: 35%.
In addition to this, contributions to the social insurance fund of 8.8% and to healthcare GeSY of 2.65% are deducted. At the same time, the maximum amount of income from which contributions are levied is 62,868 euros. All in all, the overall tax hit is considered one of the most manageable in the EU.
Where to start a job search
So where to look for that very dream job in Cyprus? It is best to use several channels at once.
Popular digital job-platforms. CyprusWork.com (for IT, Finance, Forex, Shipping), Kariera.com.cy (oriented towards the local market, with an extensive volume of offers for international specialists), Ergodotisi.com (popular among local and international businesses).
Recruiting agencies. If the specialist's level is middle and senior, it is more effective to search through agencies. They have access to closed vacancies, a deep understanding of the market and can directly present to key figures. For example, GRS Recruitment with strong expertise in the financial, legal, data, IT sectors; CareerFinders specializes in a wide range of industries; EmeraldZebra is focused on the technological, financial, marketing, executive sectors.
Work visa and residence permit
If you do not have an EU passport, you will need a work visa to work in Cyprus. The process is not the fastest, but for in-demand specialists it is quite real. I know many stories when friends found an employer ready to help with a visa — and they made it happen! Your top priority? Find a company that actually wants you on their team. It will handle most of the paperwork. Here’s a rough breakdown of the steps for job:
- Finding an employer, interviewing and receiving an offer.
- Approval of the Ministry of Labour. A translation of the Diploma with an apostille from the native country may be needed.
- Obtaining an entry visa. The employer handles the application.
- Arrival and registration. Within 7 days you need to register at the local immigration office and submit biometric data.
- Obtaining a residence permit card.
The takeaway? Cyprus today is much more than a holiday spot - it’s a dynamic digital job market where you can build a serious career, especially if you are a specialist in IT or finance. For experienced professionals ready to integrate into the local business culture, this is a real chance to get valuable international experience in one of the most pleasant corners of Europe.
