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    Skilled hands. Visas handled.

    Hire non-EU workers in CyprusWe recruit them and handle the work permit

    Tradesmen from abroad — permits, Pink Slips, quota compliance. We own it.

    Request Skilled StaffTalk to Us

    2–4 mo

    Typical time in our files, from vacancy to arrival

    30–50%

    Ceiling on non-EU staff per business (50% with a collective agreement)

    100%

    Paperwork handled by our team

    The Challenge

    Cyprus Has Run Out of Skilled Hands

    Construction sites stalling. Workshops turning away orders. Hiring from outside the EU is allowed — but the paperwork slows it down.

    No Skilled Workers Available

    The local market can't supply the carpenters, welders, and masons your projects require.

    Months Lost to Bureaucracy

    Department of Labour approvals and Pink Slip applications drain time you don't have.

    Projects Falling Behind

    Every week without the right hands means missed deadlines and lost contracts.

    What We Do

    We Find the Right Craftsmen.
    We Clear All the Paperwork.

    SL Recruitment specializes in sourcing experienced, verified tradesmen from abroad and managing the complete work permit and visa process in Cyprus.

    Sourcing & Vetting

    No random laborers. We verify every tradesman's experience, skills, and certifications before presenting them to you.

    Full Visa Management

    Department of Labour approvals, Migration Department applications, Pink Slips, quota compliance — we own the entire process.

    Ready-to-Work Staff

    Every tradesman arrives with valid permits and documentation. They go straight onto your payroll, straight onto your site.

    Carpenter at work
    Construction site
    Welder working

    Framework for the Employment of Foreign Workers (February 2025)

    A general ceiling of 30% non-EU staff per business, 50% with a collective agreement. Higher ceilings apply only to labourers in specific sectors.

    Specializations

    Trades We Cover

    From the foundation pour to the final coat of finish — the skilled positions that keep your projects moving.

    Carpenter at work
    Top Priority

    Construction & Carpentry

    • Carpenters / Woodworkers
    • Welders & Fabricators
    • Plumbers
    • Electricians
    • Skilled Builders / Masons
    • Formwork Carpenters
    • Rebar Workers
    Industrial worker
    Core Focus

    Manufacturing & Industry

    • Heavy Machinery Operators
    • Industrial Maintenance Technicians
    • CNC Machine Operators
    • HGV / Heavy Vehicle Drivers
    • Warehouse Staff
    Chef at work
    Also Covered

    Hospitality

    • Experienced Chefs & Cooks
    • Kitchen Line Staff
    • Hotel Maintenance Technicians
    Process

    The process, step by step

    1. We handle this

      Vacancy and job adverts

      We register the vacancy with the Public Employment Service for at least 2 weeks and publish it in 2 newspapers or websites for 3 days.

    2. We handle this

      Application to the Department of Labour

      If no suitable worker from Cyprus or the EU is found, we submit the application to employ non-EU workers. The approval is issued within 4 weeks, or up to 6 in difficult cases.

    3. We handle this

      The worker

      We find the worker through our partners abroad, or you bring your own candidate and we do the paperwork.

    4. We handle this

      Employment contract

      We prepare the employment contract, and the District Labour Office stamps it within 6 months of the approval.

    5. We handle this

      Entry permit

      We submit the application to the Migration Department, with the medical tests and the criminal record certificate from the worker's country.

    6. We handle this

      Arrival

      Registration takes place within 7 days of arrival. We arrange the medical tests in Cyprus, the insurance, the biometrics and the ERGANI declaration.

    7. Residence and work permit

      The Migration Department issues it within 4 months of a complete application. When the time comes, we also handle the renewal online.

    Source: Framework for the Employment of Foreign Workers (Department of Labour, February 2025) and the Migration Department, as they stood on 24 October 2026.

    What the company needs to provide

    • Registration with Social Insurance (employer registration number) and with the Tax Department
    • A Tax Department certificate confirming that you owe no corporation tax or VAT
    • Employer's liability insurance
    • The business's operating licence or certificate
    • The terms of employment (salary, working hours) or the collective agreement
    • Accommodation that meets the criteria, if you provide housing
    Questions & answers

    Frequently asked questions from employers

    In general, up to 30% of your average number of employees over the last 3 months in the district where the application is filed, and up to 50% if you apply a collective agreement. Higher ceilings, 75% or 100%, apply only to labourers in specific sectors, such as agriculture, recycling and car washes. For hotels, the average is calculated over June to August.

    It must be registered with Social Insurance and the Tax Department. It must not have employed foreign nationals illegally in the last 12 months, made anyone redundant from the same position in the last 8 months, or suspended its operations in the last 12 months. If it provides housing, the accommodation must meet the criteria.

    The vacancy stays open for at least 2 weeks. The Department of Labour's approval is issued within 4 weeks, or up to 6 in difficult cases, and the residence permit within 4 months of a complete application. In our files, the worker usually arrives 2 to 4 months after the vacancy is registered.

    The Department of Labour approval is valid for up to 2 years (3 in agriculture) and can be renewed. The residence and work permit is valid for up to 3 years.

    Yes, if they have worked for at least 6 months for their previous employer and the new job is in the same occupation and the same economic activity. You need a release document and an approval in your own name. We handle the whole change-of-employer file.

    Only housing (up to 25% if the accommodation meets the criteria, otherwise 10%) and food (up to 15% for full board). Deductions for the cost of coming to Cyprus or for third-party fees are not allowed.

    The business's approvals are revoked or not renewed, for up to 6 months the first time and up to 2 years each time after that, and the Migration Department is informed so that it can cancel the permits.

    Yes, in the sectors set out in Regulatory Administrative Act (Κ.Δ.Π.) 126/2026, after their first semester of study. The application can only be made online, and we handle it for you.

    Yes. From 1 January 2027, renewals with the same employer can only be made online. We submit the renewal 60 to 30 days before expiry.

    Permit renewal with the same employer: see online residence permit renewal

    Get Started

    Your Projects Can't Wait.

    Every week without the right tradesmen is another missed deadline. Tell us what you need — we'll come back with a concrete staffing proposal.

    Call Us

    +357 22 014 880

    Email

    info@slrecruitment.com.cy

    Or message us on WhatsApp

    Request Skilled Staff

    We reply to every enquiry, usually within one working day.

    Stop Losing Time.
    Secure Your Tradesmen Today.

    Carpenters, welders, builders, machine operators — with all visa paperwork handled. Let's get your projects back on track.

    Request Skilled Staff