Part-Time and Summer Jobs for Teenagers in Cyprus: Ages, Hours and Rules

Yes, teenagers can work in Cyprus, but only from the age of 15, and the law sets tighter limits on their hours than for adults. Before your teenager says yes to a summer job in a café, shop or beach bar, it is worth knowing the rules, because the employer, and in some cases the parents, are responsible for keeping to them.

The rules come from the Protection of Young Persons at Work Law, 48(I)/2001, as amended (including by Law 15(I)/2012). The Department of Labour enforces the rules on working time, and the Department of Labour Inspection enforces health and safety rules for young workers. We have used the law's English text and the Cyprus government's own reports to the Council of Europe. Laws can be amended, so for a specific case check with the Department of Labour.

Who counts as a child, and who as a young worker?

The law uses three terms:

Children of compulsory school age must not work in a way that stops them benefiting fully from their education.

The exceptions for under-15s

1. Cultural, artistic, sporting or advertising work, such as acting, modelling or appearing in an advert. This needs a permit from the Department of Labour, issued after consulting the Social Welfare Services. A permit covers no more than three months a year per child, work must not overlap with school hours, and the daily limit is four hours for ages 13 to 15. The child must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or authorised chaperone.
2. Combined work-training schemes for 14-year-olds who have successfully completed the secondary school cycle, with a special permit. These children must get at least one month free from work during the school holidays.

Occasional, short-term help in a family business that is not harmful or dangerous falls outside the law. Street trading by under-15s is always banned.

How many hours can a teenager work?

The weekly rest can be shortened by regulations where there are operational reasons, but never below 36 consecutive hours.

Can teenagers work evenings and nights?

No adolescent may work between 23:00 and 07:00. Regulations can allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work in part of that period, but work between midnight and 04:00 is always prohibited. In practice this rules out late shifts in bars, clubs and restaurants that close after 11 pm. Ask the employer exactly when shifts end, and how your teenager will get home safely.

What work is off limits?

Under-18s must not do dangerous or unhealthy work. The details are in the Safety and Health at Work (Protection of Young Persons) Regulations of 2012 (P.I. 77/2012, amended in 2015). If a labour inspector finds that a job is harming a young person's health, the employer must stop it within a notice period of no more than seven days, and the young person can only go back after an examining doctor confirms they are fit.

Do teenagers get paid holidays and the minimum wage?

• Annual leave: The Annual Holidays with Pay Law applies to young workers with no age exception, and leave cannot be swapped for extra pay.
• Minimum wage: The national minimum wage decree has no youth rate. From 1 January 2026 the full-time minimum is €1,088 gross a month, or €979 for an employee who has not yet completed six months with the same employer. Part-time staff get a proportional amount based on their hours. The 2023 decree did not apply to some sectors, including hotels, domestic work, agriculture and seafarers, so check what applies to the job your teenager is offered.

Do teenagers need a social insurance number?

Yes. Every employer in Cyprus must be registered with the Social Insurance Services before taking on staff and must report each new employee through the ERGANI system no later than one day before the job starts. Your teenager will need their own social insurance number; our guide on how to get a social insurance number in Cyprus explains the steps. Employers must also keep a register of the young people they employ.

If your teenager is not an EU citizen, check with the Civil Registry and Migration Department whether their residence permit allows them to work before they accept a job.

Where can teenagers look for a job?

1. Ask locally first. Summer jobs in Cyprus often come through word of mouth: cafés, kiosks, shops, beach businesses, sports clubs and summer camps. Walking in with a short CV in May or early June works better than waiting until July.
2. The Public Employment Service. The Department of Labour's online platform lists published vacancies. EU citizens living in Cyprus, and others with free access to the labour market, can search it, and jobseekers can register through CY-Login.
3. Career guidance. The Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK) has career guidance counsellors at its Youth Multicentres in every district, who give careers advice.
4. Experience abroad. Eurodesk Cyprus shares information on internships, exchanges and volunteering in Europe, much of it for over-18s.

If paid work is not possible yet, volunteering gives similar experience for a CV or university application.

What should parents check before a teenager starts?

• Age and paperwork: Is your teenager at least 15? Is there a written agreement or offer, and does the employer have their social insurance number and ID?
• Hours: Does the rota stay within 7 h 15 min a day and 36 hours a week (under 16) or 7 h 45 min and 38 hours (16 and 17), with no overtime?
• Finishing time: Do all shifts end by 23:00? How will your teenager get home?
• Breaks and days off: A 30-minute break after 4.5 hours, 12 hours off between shifts and two consecutive days off each week.
• Pay: Is the hourly rate at least the proportional minimum wage, and how and when is it paid?
• Safety: Will your teenager use machinery, hot oil, chemicals or ladders? Is there training and supervision?
• School: In term time, will the job leave enough time and energy for schoolwork?

What happens if the rules are broken?

The law sets penalties for employers that can include a fine or up to two years in prison. Parents can also commit an offence if they consent to or connive in their child's illegal employment, unless the court finds they did not. If you think a young person is being employed against the rules, contact the Department of Labour or the Department of Labour Inspection.

Related guides

• How to get a social insurance number in Cyprus
• Finding work in Cyprus
• Enrolling your child in a public school in Cyprus