Who fills it in
Cyprus employers and the non-EU employees they hire under the standard (single permit, GEN) route, once the Department of Labour has approved the hire. The Department of Labour lists separate contracts for agriculture, tourism, construction, students and some other jobs; use those where they apply.
What goes with it
- Approval from the Department of Labour that the employer may employ third-country nationals
- The original contract signed and stamped by the Department of Labour, with three stamped copies for the entry permit application and two stamped copies again after arrival, as the MGEN3 supporting documents list sets out
- Application form MGEN3 and the other documents on the MGEN3 lists
- Copy of the employer's ID card, if the employer is an individual
Field by field
Parties to the contract (page 2 English, page 3 Greek)
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Agreement made on the Συμφωνία που έγινε την | The date the contract is signed, day/month/year. Contracts signed on or after 1 January 2026 no longer pay stamp duty. | 15/09/2026 |
| Name / Surname (Employer) Όνομα / Επίθετο (Εργοδότης) | The employer: an individual's name and surname, or for a company its registered name in the name field. | EXAMPLE TRADING LTD |
| Address (Employer's home address or registered office) Διεύθυνση (Διεύθυνση κατοικίας Εργοδότη ή γραφείου της επιχείρησης) | The employer's home address, or the company's registered office. | 5 SAMPLE AVENUE, 0000 LIMASSOL |
| Telephone number Αρ. Τηλεφώνου | Employer's landline. | +357 25 000000 |
| Mobile number Αρ. Κινητού Τηλ. | Employer's mobile. | +357 99 000000 |
| Employer's Registration Number (Social Insurance) Αρ. Μητρώου Εργοδότη (Κοιν. Ασφαλίσεων) | The employer's Social Insurance registration number. | 000000000 |
| Name / Surname (Employee) Όνομα / Επίθετο (Εργοδοτούμενος) | The employee's names exactly as in the passport. | MARIA / EXAMPLE |
| Nationality Υπηκοότητα | The employee's nationality as in the passport. | FILIPINO |
| Sex Φύλο | The employee's sex. | FEMALE |
1. Post/occupation, term of the agreement and conditions
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Post/occupation Θέση/Ειδικότητα | The job title. It should be the occupation the Department of Labour approved. | COOK |
| Term of the Agreement (months/years) Διάρκεια Συμφωνίας (μήνες/χρόνια) | Length of the contract, and cross out months or years. The Migration Department publishes that a residence and work permit lasts up to three years at a time. | 24 months |
| commencing [date] / terminating [date] αρχίζει από την / τερματίζεται την | Start and end dates of the contract, day/month/year. | 01/11/2026 – 31/10/2028 |
| Bank guarantee with the Migration Authorities of Cyprus of € Τραπεζική εγγύηση στις Αρχές Μετανάστευσης για το ποσό των € | Condition (b): the amount of the bank guarantee the employer deposits for the employee's possible repatriation costs. Write the amount the employer actually lodges; the form does not print one. | (amount of the guarantee) |
| Conditions (a), (c)–(g) Όροι (α), (γ)–(ζ) | Printed terms, nothing to fill in: immigration law applies, medical tests on arrival paid by the employer, the contract is void if the permit is refused, permit conditions are binding, no change of employer during the contract, and exchange control rules. | — |
2. The Employee
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The Employee (a)–(f) Ο Εργοδοτούμενος (α)–(στ) | Printed duties of the employee (diligence, confidentiality, care for the employer's property, obeying Cyprus law). Nothing to fill in; read it before signing. | — |
3. Emoluments, hours of work and fringe benefits
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary of € Βασικός μηνιαίος μισθός € | The gross basic salary in euro, then cross out month or week in 'payable at the end of each month/week'. Cost of living allowance (COLA) is added on top, and the salary follows the relevant collective agreement. | 1,200 |
| …hours for five/six days per week …ώρες εργασίας κατανεμημένες σε πενθήμερη/εξαήμερη εβδομάδα εργασίας | Working hours per week (or per month in the Greek text), and cross out five or six days. Hours beyond these are overtime at 1:1½ on working days and 1:2 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, as printed. | 40 hours, five days |
| Annual leave: …working days Ετήσια άδεια: …εργάσιμες μέρες | Paid annual leave in working days. The form says the Annual Leave Law or the collective agreement applies, whichever is more favourable. | 20 |
| Sick leave: …days Άδεια ασθενείας: …ημέρες | Days of paid sick leave a year, with a medical certificate, according to the collective agreement. | (days under the collective agreement) |
| National holidays: …official holidays with pay Επίσημες αργίες: …επίσημες αργίες με πλήρεις απολαβές | The number of paid public holidays, then list them on the dotted lines. | (number, then each holiday listed) |
| 13th salary/bonus 13ος Μισθός | Printed term: a 13th salary (basic salary plus COLA) at Christmas, paid pro rata on termination. Nothing to fill in. | — |
4. The Employer
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation / Insurance / Bank account / Deductions Διατροφή / Ασφάλιση / Τραπεζικός Λογαριασμός / Αποκοπές | Printed duties, nothing to fill in. The employer provides suitable accommodation (may deduct up to 10%) and food or kitchen equipment (up to 15% if food is provided), insures the employee, shares health cover costs equally, pays the net salary into a euro bank account, and may not deduct work permit fees, travel costs or agency fees. | — |
| Social insurance / Trade union's subscriptions Κοινωνικές Ασφαλίσεις / Συνδρομή σε συντεχνίες | Printed duties: the employer pays social insurance contributions and deducts the employee's share, and deducts union subscriptions under the collective agreement. Nothing to fill in. | — |
5. General terms
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Arbitration: a member of the … Embassy/Consulate in Cyprus may be present Διαιτησία: μέλος της/του Πρεσβείας/Προξενείου της/του … | Write the employee's country, whose embassy or consulate may attend an arbitration. | PHILIPPINES |
| Collective Agreements: relevant Collective Agreement (…) Συλλογικές Συμβάσεις: σχετική Συλλογική Σύμβαση (…) | Name the collective agreement for the sector, if one applies. Its benefits form part of the contract, and more favourable terms override it. | (name of the sector's collective agreement) |
| Choice of law / Disciplinary proceedings / Termination of the Agreement Νομοθεσία / Πειθαρχικά μέτρα / Τερματισμός της Συμφωνίας | Printed terms, nothing to fill in: Cyprus law applies, the employee may present their case, and the contract ends on serious breach, by one month's notice under the Termination of Employment Law, or after more than a month's absence for illness not caused by a work accident. | — |
Signatures (page 14 English, page 15 Greek)
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Witnesses 1 and 2: (Signature) / (Full name) Μάρτυρες 1 και 2: (Υπογραφή) / (Πλήρες Όνομα) | Two witnesses sign and print their full names. The contract says the parties sign in the presence of witnesses. | (signature) ANNA SAMPLE |
| The Employer (Signature) / (Full name) Εργοδότης (Υπογραφή) / (Πλήρες Όνομα) | The employer, or a person authorised to sign for the company, signs and prints their name. | (signature) JOHN SAMPLE |
| The Employee (Signature) / (Full name) Εργοδοτούμενος (Υπογραφή) / (Πλήρες Όνομα) | The employee signs and prints their name as in the passport. | (signature) MARIA EXAMPLE |
Employer's statement of compliance (Law of 2000)
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I, …, the Employer in this Contract of Employment Εγώ …, Εργοδότης στην παρούσα Σύμβαση Απασχόλησης | The employer's name. The employer declares they will comply with the law on informing employees of their contract terms and will give the employee a copy of the contract. | JOHN SAMPLE FOR EXAMPLE TRADING LTD |
| Date Ημερομηνία | Date of the statement, day/month/year. | 15/09/2026 |
| The Employer (Signature) / (Full name) Υπογραφή Εργοδότη / (Πλήρες Όνομα) | Employer's signature and full name. | (signature) JOHN SAMPLE |
Common mistakes
- Filling in only the English pages. Each blank appears on the English page and again on the Greek page that follows, so complete both the same way.
- A post that differs from the occupation the Department of Labour approved, or contract dates that do not fit the permit being applied for.
- Signing without the two witnesses that the signature page provides for.
- Bringing only the original. The MGEN3 lists ask for the original stamped by the Department of Labour plus stamped copies.
- Using this general contract when the Department of Labour lists a sector contract for the job, for example agriculture, tourism or construction.
Questions
Where can I download the general contract of employment?
From the Department of Labour's forms page, under Employment of Aliens Service. The file is a 15-page scanned PDF titled 'Γενική Σύμβαση Απασχόλησης – General Contract of Employment'. It is not a fillable form, so print it and write in the blanks.
Who stamps the contract?
The Department of Labour. The Migration Department's MGEN3 supporting documents list asks for the original employment contract signed and stamped by the Department of Labour, with stamped copies.
Do I still pay stamp duty on the contract?
Not for contracts signed on or after 1 January 2026, when the Stamp Duty Laws were repealed. The Migration Department says contracts signed up to 31 December 2025 remain subject to stamp duty under the old rules.
Is this the contract for every job?
No. The Department of Labour's list also has separate contracts for agriculture and animal farming, the tourist and catering industry, construction, students from third countries and some specific jobs. The general contract covers other jobs.
Sources
- Department of Labour: application forms, Employment of Aliens Service, checked 23 October 2026
- Department of Labour: General Contract of Employment (scanned PDF), checked 23 October 2026
- Migration Department: remunerated employment (single permit – GEN), fees and stamp duty, checked 23 October 2026
- Migration Department: GEN forms page, checked 23 October 2026
- Migration Department: MGEN3 supporting documents for entry permit and registration (Word), checked 23 October 2026
- Stamp Duty (Repeal) Law 239(I)/2025, Official Gazette 31 December 2025 (cylaw.org)
Figures checked 28 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm them for your case before you act.