Work and Travel in Cyprus

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN CYPRUS FOR TRAVELLERS

Cyprus is a small island nation near Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, that often gets overlooked as a backpacking destination in favour of Greece. Sharing cultural aspects of both Greece and Turkey, Cypriots manage to preserve a culture all their own.

It’s precisely this remoteness that makes Cyprus an intriguing choice for work and travel. If you desire to gain skills while living the island life and gaining insight into a unique culture, then read our travel guide below to find out how to make a work and travel lifestyle work for you.

1. Help around the house with a retiree

Many Europeans retire to Cyprus. They are therefore often on the search for help maintaining their homes - cooking, cleaning, gardening, and repairing. Usually, the work is rather light and the atmosphere laidback. You may not make a lot of money with these types of opportunities but you’ll have plenty of time to explore the island.

2. Establish a permaculture farm

Being an island, there’s a lot of momentum to establish self-sufficient homesteads in Cyprus. If you have any expertise in organic growing techniques, your skills will be in demand all along the island.

3. Work in watersports

If you already know or want to learn how to kitesurf, waterski, wakeboard, scuba dive, or any other number of waterfront activities, you can likely find an opportunity to do so in Cyprus during the high season.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR CYPRUS

In both the Republic of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, nationals of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore can enter and stay for up to three months without a visa. South Africans may enter for up to 30 days without a visa. Here’s more information about short-stay visas and information about work permits.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN CYPRUS

SPRING WORK

Cyprus has a typical Mediterranean climate with long, warm and dry summers from mid-May to mid-October. The winters are mild and sometimes rainy, lasting from December to February. Short autumn and spring seasons fall in between.

Spring is a good time to get started on permaculture farm projects or to start to work on a boat, especially if you’re learning. This way, come summertime you’ll be prepared with the skills needed to lead yacht or sailing day trips full of tourists.

SUMMER JOBS

Like most of the Mediterranean, summer is the height of the tourism season. If hospitality is your industry, you’ll have plenty of work and travel options this time of year in hotels, hostels, spas, and restaurants.

This is also the best time of year to command a salary as a working traveller, and not be a volunteer backpacker.

Those with retail experience can find work in gift and souvenir shops, which look especially for people with good English skills to engage tourists.

AUTUMN

October to January is the season to harvest olives in Cyrpus. If they learn the trade quickly, backpackers can look forward to fours months of employment and a promise to return next season if a positive impression is left on the grower.

Perhaps you can even join in the next step of the operation, processing the olives into olive oil.

WINTER

Winter is a quieter time of year in Cyprus, so now can be a good time to engage in conservation or community projects that can help you get to know the locals and their culture better.

The weather is cooler and more agreeable to hikes and tours in winter, so if you are training to be a work and travel guider in Cyprus, you can get some good experience in winter and be prepared for next year’s high season.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN CYPRUS

Hospitality and friendliness is a hallmark of Cypriot culture, so foreign working travellers should generally feel quite welcome. 

The family unit and religion are rather important for many people in Cyprus, so keep this in mind when having conversations and in the manner in which you dress and conduct yourself in bars.

If you desire a quiet way of life to learn skills as a working traveller in a lovely climate, look no further than the island of Cyprus for your next backpacking adventure.