Changing Jobs in Cyprus: Notice Periods, Redundancy Pay and Your Rights as an Employee

If you leave a job in Cyprus or lose one, the Termination of Employment Law 24/1967 sets your basic rights: written notice of 1 to 8 weeks once you have 26 weeks' service, a redundancy payment from the state Redundancy Fund after 104 weeks, and compensation through the Labour Disputes Court if you are dismissed unfairly. Here is how each rule works, what to collect before your last day, and the extra step non-EU workers must take before switching employer.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, speak to a Cyprus employment lawyer or your trade union.

How much notice does an employer have to give in Cyprus?

Statutory notice only starts once you have worked 26 continuous weeks for the same employer. After that, the minimum written notice grows with your length of service:

Notice must be in writing. Your employer can pay you the wages for the notice period instead of asking you to work it (pay in lieu of notice). No notice is due if you are dismissed for serious misconduct; if you disagree with that reason, keep every email and message about the dismissal.

These are minimums. Your contract or a collective agreement in your sector can give you longer notice, and the longer period then applies.

How much notice do you have to give when you resign?

The law's minimum for employees is shorter than for employers. The original 1967 law set one week for anyone with at least 26 weeks' service, and later amendments added longer periods for long-serving staff, but published summaries by law firms and payroll providers disagree about the exact steps. In practice, your employment contract is what you should follow: it often sets a longer period than the legal minimum, especially for senior roles.

How to resign cleanly

1. Read your contract for the notice clause and any rules on returning equipment or handing over work.
2. Give notice in writing (a letter or email) and keep a copy with the date.
3. Agree your last working day, and whether you will use up any leave during the notice period.
4. Ask for a written breakdown of your final pay before you leave.

Leaving without the notice your contract requires can turn a clean exit into a dispute over your final pay and reference, so it is rarely worth the risk.

How long can probation last?

Since the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Law of 2023 (Law 25(I)/2023), a probation period can last no more than six months. The old rule, which allowed up to two years by written agreement, no longer applies. For fixed-term contracts, probation must be in proportion to the length of the contract and the type of work. During probation either side can end the job without the statutory notice above.

The same 2023 law replaced Law 100(I)/2000 on written terms. Your employer must give you the key terms of your job in writing, including the parties' names, your job title or description, the start date and your pay. If you never received written terms, ask for them; they are useful evidence in any later dispute.

Am I entitled to redundancy pay in Cyprus?

Redundancy means your job ended for business reasons, not because of you: the employer closed or is closing, restructured, brought in new technology, lost orders or ran short of work. You qualify for a payment from the Redundancy Fund if you have:

• at least 104 weeks (two years) of continuous employment with the same employer;
• not reached pensionable age; and
• lost your job because of a genuine redundancy.

The money comes from the Fund, which employers finance through a contribution of 1.2% of gross wages, so you are paid even if your employer has run out of money. The amount depends on your weekly wage and years of service:

The Fund applies an upper limit to the weekly wage it counts, and that figure changes, so check it with Social Insurance Services.

How to claim redundancy pay

1. Collect your dismissal letter, payslips and your employer's details.
2. Fill in form ΥΚ 600 (sometimes written SIS 600 or Y.K.A. 600), the application for a redundancy payment.
3. Submit it at any Social Insurance District Office or Citizen Service Centre. Details are on the Social Insurance Services Redundancy Fund page.
4. Apply within three months of your dismissal. Late claims may still be accepted if you can show good cause for the delay, but do not rely on it.

Separately, your employer must notify the Ministry of Labour of a planned redundancy at least a month before it takes effect. In larger layoffs (collective dismissals), the employer must also consult staff representatives and notify the authorities at least 30 days in advance.

What if you think you were dismissed unfairly?

Once you have 26 weeks' service, a dismissal without a valid reason entitles you to compensation. Valid reasons include poor performance, serious misconduct, genuine redundancy and events outside the employer's control. Dismissal because you joined a union or complained about your employer is never a valid reason.

Claims go to the Labour Disputes Court, which sets the amount based on your wages, length of service, age, career prospects and how the dismissal happened. Compensation cannot be lower than the redundancy payment you would have received and can go up to two years' wages. At larger employers the court can also order reinstatement. Law firm guides put the deadline at generally 12 months from the dismissal, so get advice early. If the Redundancy Fund refuses your claim because it says the dismissal was not a redundancy, this court route is open to you too.

For problems such as unpaid wages, the Department of Labour Relations of the Ministry of Labour enforces the Protection of Wages Law and is the first place to complain. A trade union can also advise you and take up your case.

What should you collect before your last day?

• Final pay: wages up to your last day, any notice pay, and any 13th salary or bonus owed under your contract. Ask for it in writing.
• Annual leave: check how much leave you have left and agree whether you will take it before you go or be paid for it.
• A reference: there is no automatic right to one, so ask for a reference letter and a letter confirming your job title and dates while relations are good.
• Your social insurance record: your contributions decide what benefits you can claim later. If you are new to the system, see our guide to getting a social insurance number in Cyprus.
• Restrictive clauses: if your contract has a non-compete or non-solicitation clause, get legal advice before you accept a job with a competitor, rather than assuming it is or is not enforceable.

Can you claim unemployment benefit?

If you lose your job and have paid enough social insurance contributions, you may qualify for unemployment benefit from Social Insurance Services. You apply online through the gov.cy unemployment benefit service, which needs a verified CY Login account (you can verify through online banking, a video call, a Citizen Service Centre or a district post office). The contribution conditions and benefit rates were not shown on that page in October 2026, so ask your Social Insurance District Office (open 08:00–17:00) what applies to you.

You should also register as unemployed with the Public Employment Service at your District Labour Office, which matches job seekers with vacancies; the EURES Cyprus page explains how. The government's benefits finder is a quick way to see other support you might be eligible for.

Can non-EU workers change employer in Cyprus?

This is where the rules differ most by nationality:

If you hold a non-EU employment permit, do not resign and start elsewhere until the change has been approved by the Department of Labour and the Migration Department; working for an employer not on your permit can put your residence at risk. Our work permit guide for non-EU citizens explains how permits are tied to employers.

Whatever your nationality, Cyprus's national minimum wage applies to your new job: as of 1 January 2026 it is €979 a month at hiring and €1,088 after six months with the same employer.

What to do next

• Check your contract's notice clause before you resign, and give notice in writing.
• If you are made redundant after two years, file form ΥΚ 600 within three months.
• If you think the dismissal was unfair, speak to a lawyer or your union well within 12 months.
• Looking for your next role? Read finding work in Cyprus, or if you plan to go freelance, our guide to being self-employed in Cyprus.