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| Field | 🇨🇾CyprusCyprus General Employment Single Permit (GEN) 2026 |
|---|---|
| Country | Cyprus (CY) |
| Route | Cyprus General Employment Single Permit (GEN) 2026 |
| Route family | Employment / skilled work |
| Route type | work |
| Summary | Official-source guide to Cyprus's ordinary remunerated-employment single permit, including entry-permit, residence/work permit and employer-change rules. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-20 |
| Official/supporting source count | 4 |
| Route guide | Open full guide → |
| Program availability | ActiveSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| Best-fit work models | Local employmentSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4 |
| Income requirement | The Migration Department's general GEN page does not give one universal minimum salary for all occupations. The applicant needs a qualifying job offer and must meet the applicable occupation, labour-market, and employment-contract conditions; some professions have separate salary rules.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Savings requirement | The GEN employment-permit guidance does not publish a separate minimum savings or bank-balance requirement; the route is based on qualifying employment and the required supporting documents.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Investment requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Government fees | The published fees are EUR 120 for an entry permit plus a temporary residence and work permit valid 1–3 years, EUR 130 for issue or renewal of a residence and work permit, and EUR 70 for initial Aliens Registry registration. Contracts signed from 1 January 2026 are not subject to stamp duty; pre-2026 contracts remain subject to the former rules.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Processing time | A complete application and issuance of the temporary residence and work permit are normally completed within four months. Missing or insufficient documents can extend the examination time.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Validity | A temporary residence and work permit may be issued for up to three consecutive years, depending on the employment contract. The ordinary maximum stay for employment purposes is four years, with listed occupational exceptions and other special provisions.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Renewal | Renewal may be submitted online from 60 to 30 days before expiry using a verified Cy Login account. After mutual termination and completion of the release procedure, the worker has 30 days to find a new employer and apply to renew the permit under the new employment; eligibility remains subject to applicable rules and the maximum stay.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Family inclusion | Family reunification may be available under a separate route for a qualifying sponsor, generally covering a spouse and minor children. The ordinary rules normally require two years' sponsor residence, a permit valid at least one year, and a reasonable prospect of permanent residence, subject to category exceptions. GEN status alone does not automatically approve dependants.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Spouse work rights | A spouse does not receive a universal open-work right solely from a GEN worker's permit. Family members need the appropriate separate residence status, and employment access depends on the sponsor and family-permit category and any required work authorisation.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Local-work rules | GEN authorises the employment specified by the single permit. A third-country national must obtain an entry permit for work (except listed categories) and then a temporary residence and employment permit; employer or Department of Labour requirements may also apply. It is not an unrestricted open work permit.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Application location | The employer's application for the entry, residence and work permit is submitted to the Migration Department in Nicosia. After arrival, the worker registers with the Aliens Registry and completes residence-permit and biometric steps; the employer must provide the required supporting documents.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Permanent-residence pathway | The GEN permit is temporary and does not itself grant permanent residence. A separate long-term-resident status may generally be available after five years of continuous legal residence, subject to absence limits and eligibility exclusions; some temporary or restricted employment categories may not qualify.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Citizenship pathway | The GEN permit does not itself grant citizenship. General naturalisation under form M127 requires seven cumulative years of legal residence in the preceding ten years plus continuous residence for the 12 months immediately before filing and Greek-language, integration, good-character and other conditions. A shorter route applies only to qualifying high-skilled employees of designated companies and is not automatic for ordinary GEN workers.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
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