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Cyprus work visa requirements for Pakistani citizens

For Pakistan passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15

Very limited routes

Cyprus only lets an employer hire a non-EU worker after the Labour Department confirms no Cypriot or EU worker can fill the job, and general permits are employer-tied and capped at four years — in practice concentrated in sectors like farm and domestic work, with a separate track only inside registered foreign-interest companies.

What the employer must have

  • Must apply first to the District Labour Offices and pass a labour market test before hiring a non-EU worker; the stamped employment contract then goes to the Civil Registry and Migration Department for the entry and residence permit
  • General permits are tied to the specific employer and sector; the worker may change at most 3 employers within the same sector and occupation
  • Companies of foreign interests (registered with the Business Facilitation Unit) hire under a separate track with set minimum salaries instead of a labour market test

What you must do before you leave

  1. Before flying, get your passport 'protected' at a BEOE Protector of Emigrants office (registration + Overseas Employment Certificate) — Pakistani airport staff will not let you board without it
  2. If a recruiter is involved, use only a BEOE-licensed Overseas Employment Promoter, never an unlicensed agent
  3. The permit process starts in Cyprus through the employer BEFORE you travel — a 'job offer' that asks you to pay and fly first is not how the legal route works
  4. Ask the employer for proof the Labour Department approval and entry permit exist; fake Cyprus entry permits are in circulation

Things to watch

  • General employment permits run a maximum of four years; only sectors such as farming, agriculture, domestic work, specialty chefs and a few others are exempt from the cap — which is also where most third-country hiring happens
  • The widely reported €2,500/month 'highly skilled' criterion of the 2022 Business Facilitation Unit policy is not confirmed on an official page; the EU portal lists €1,936-€3,872/month minimums for foreign-interest-company personnel.
  • Corridor scam documentation cited here concerns victims recruited in India; Pakistan's FIA separately documents widespread worker-pays visa fraud by agents — treat any pay-first Cyprus offer as a red flag
  • There is no points-based or self-petition work route; without an approved employer there is no legal path

What you may lawfully be charged

THE MOST A LICENSED AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU as a service charge is PKR 15,000 (PKR 6,000 if you found the job yourself and only need the paperwork done). You do not hand it over — you deposit it in a bank and the agent is paid only after the Protector of Emigrants confirms you reached the job. Anything he spends on your ticket, medical or visa must come with a signed, stamped receipt.

Rule 15 and 15A, Emigration Rules 1979 (SRO 1058(I)/2023). Charging more is punishable by up to 14 years — Section 22(a), Emigration Ordinance 1979.

⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.

Official sources

This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.

Common questions

Can a Pakistani passport holder work in Cyprus?

Cyprus only lets an employer hire a non-EU worker after the Labour Department confirms no Cypriot or EU worker can fill the job, and general permits are employer-tied and capped at four years — in practice concentrated in sectors like farm and domestic work, with a separate track only inside registered foreign-interest companies.

What does an employer in Cyprus need before hiring a Pakistani worker?

Must apply first to the District Labour Offices and pass a labour market test before hiring a non-EU worker; the stamped employment contract then goes to the Civil Registry and Migration Department for the entry and residence permit General permits are tied to the specific employer and sector; the worker may change at most 3 employers within the same sector and occupation Companies of foreign interests (registered with the Business Facilitation Unit) hire under a separate track with set minimum salaries instead of a labour market test

What must a Pakistani citizen do before leaving to work in Cyprus?

Before flying, get your passport 'protected' at a BEOE Protector of Emigrants office (registration + Overseas Employment Certificate) — Pakistani airport staff will not let you board without it If a recruiter is involved, use only a BEOE-licensed Overseas Employment Promoter, never an unlicensed agent The permit process starts in Cyprus through the employer BEFORE you travel — a 'job offer' that asks you to pay and fly first is not how the legal route works Ask the employer for proof the Labour Department approval and entry permit exist; fake Cyprus entry permits are in circulation

What should Pakistani workers watch out for with Cyprus job offers?

General employment permits run a maximum of four years; only sectors such as farming, agriculture, domestic work, specialty chefs and a few others are exempt from the cap — which is also where most third-country hiring happens The widely reported €2,500/month 'highly skilled' criterion of the 2022 Business Facilitation Unit policy is not confirmed on an official page; the EU portal lists €1,936-€3,872/month minimums for foreign-interest-company personnel. Corridor scam documentation cited here concerns victims recruited in India; Pakistan's FIA separately documents widespread worker-pays visa fraud by agents — treat any pay-first Cyprus offer as a red flag There is no points-based or self-petition work route; without an approved employer there is no legal path

Should I pay an agent for a job in Cyprus?

No. Never pay anyone for a job offer, a visa, or a place on a list. Legitimate recruitment for this route does not require the worker to pay for the job itself. Verify any agent against the official registers linked on this page.

Other countries Pakistani citizens can work in

All work visa guides

531 live Cyprus vacancies for Pakistani workers

From job boards and overseas-employment registers. We do not yet hold Pakistan's own national register for this country, so these are not nationality-filtered.

See all jobs and apply