Cyprus Blue Card

Cyprus has put clarity over breadth. The Blue Card currently targets three sectors: information and communication technologies (ICT), pharmaceuticals (for research roles only), and shipping (excluding captains and crew). That’s a deliberate calibration to labour-demand data and the island’s strategic industries.

On the personal profile, you’ll need a job offer or contract for at least six months and to meet the qualification bar. That means either a higher education degree (minimum three-year program) or, for ICT roles, at least three years of relevant professional experience within the last seven years. The minimum gross annual salary is set at EUR 43,632 in Cyprus—don’t fall below it, even by a euro, or the application will go nowhere.

There are two main flows. If you’re outside Cyprus, you can enter with a tourist visa (where eligible) or obtain an entry permit arranged through the employer. After arrival, you submit the Blue Card application at the Migration Department’s head office. Biometrics are taken, fees are paid, and the clock starts once the file is complete.

If you’re already on an EU Blue Card in another member state, different mobility rules kick in (more on that below). In both tracks, be ready with a valid travel document covering at least the requested card duration, full insurance as required, and original proofs of qualifications and employment terms. Initial fees in Cyprus include a card issuance fee (commonly cited at EUR 40) and, if it’s your first time, registration in the Aliens’ Register (EUR 70).

Cyprus aligns with the directive’s family-first logic. Spouses and minor dependents can apply through family reunification, and, importantly, spouses have free access to the Cypriot labour market. You can file the family applications alongside the main Blue Card or shortly after; the residence permit validity will typically mirror the principal’s card, subject to passport expiry.

Mobility is the ace card. Blue Card holders get short-term EU mobility for business and the right to move for employment after 12 months of residence in the first member state. Cyprus also confirms a practical benefit that sets it apart from many temporary permits: your Blue Card is not cancelled merely because you spend more than 90 consecutive days outside the country. That’s welcome flexibility for regional roles.

If you’re hiring under the Cyprus EU Blue Card, build a process that survives audits, not just approvals. Start with HR and Legal agreeing the correct role classification, then lock the compensation at or above EUR 43,632. Draft the contract for at least six months and align the job description with the “highly qualified” standard.

Next, prepare the documentary spine early: degree or experience proofs (with apostilles or legalization if needed), clean and readable scans, and a travel document with generous validity. Sync immigration timelines with your onboarding plan so the employee can lawfully start—Cyprus allows work to commence within 30 days after a complete application is filed, but only if everything is in the file.

• Map sector eligibility: ICT, pharma (research only), shipping (excluding captains/crew).
• Confirm the salary threshold in payroll and in the contract.
• Pre-check degree equivalence or experience evidence for ICT routes.
• Block biometric appointments and compile insurance documents.
• Plan family applications, if any, for simultaneous submission.

The most common miss is an offer letter that under-shoots the threshold by a hair, or that relies on variable pay to bridge the gap. Don’t. Set the base salary to meet the requirement and keep bonuses as bonuses. Second place goes to a contract with an open-ended start date or a sub-six-month term—both are non-starters under the directive-aligned requirements.

Another trap is creative job branding. Cyprus cares less about your LinkedIn headline and more about the duties, sector, and evidence that the role is genuinely highly qualified. Align titles, duties, and the sector gate. Finally, keep an eye on timing: arrivals without a plan for filing within seven days (for residence) or within one month (for long-term mobility) invite scrambling, and scrambling invites mistakes.