All foreign nationals who wish to live and work in Cyprus, with the exception of those undertaking seasonal employment only, are required to apply for a Temporary Residence Employment Permit (TRE). EU nationals who arrive to seek work within the country must initially register with the Department of the Population and Migration Archive, or an office of the Aliens and Migration Service. Within three months of arrival, they are required to apply to the Population and Migration Archive for a residence permit.

Residence permits are usually granted easily to the foreign employees of off-shore companies based in Cyprus and to foreign consultants and their employees, in line with Cyprus' policy of encouraging foreign investment and promoting the country's advantages as an off-shore business location

For other foreign nationals wishing to work in Cyprus, employment permits can be harder to obtain as the employer will be required to demonstrate that that there are no suitably qualified Cypriot citizens available for the post on offer. The employer is required to submit the TRE application to the Migration Officer at the Ministry of the Interior in Nicosia. The Migration Officer will seek advice from the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance regarding the labour market conditions and the employer's previous compliance with the work permit regulations before deciding whether to approve the application.

Along with the relevant application forms, when applying for a Temporary Residence Employment Permit you will be required to include 4 passport-sized photographs, evidence of residence in Cyprus, such as your contract of sale or rental agreement, documentation confirming that you have private medical insurance and bank statements or other documents showing that you have at least 30,000 Euros or the equivalent. Non-EU nationals may be required to submit additional documentation.