All About Employee Leave & PTO in Cyprus
Learn what you need to know about leave requirements in Cyprus and how Justworks EOR can help streamline hiring.
How an EOR Can Help with Employee Leave & PTO
Before hiring in Cyprus, it’s important to understand common leave policies and what they include. Additional employer responsibilities include tracking leave and complying with annual leave, maternity protections, and Social Insurance rules. Justworks helps establish leave policies that employees expect with expert local guidance.
Employee Leave & PTO Expectations in Cyprus
Labor laws in Cyprus guarantee employees the right to specific types of leave, regardless of whether they work onsite or remotely.
Vacation Leave
The statutory minimum annual leave in Cyprus is based on a standard 40-hour work week. To qualify for the full entitlement, the employee must have worked at least 48 weeks within the year. This time off breaks down to 20 working days for a five-day week and 24 working days for a six-day week
Sick Leave
Benefits like sick leave are provided through the Cyprus Social Insurance Fund. Each sick leave period, eligible employees may receive sickness benefits for up to 156 days. However, compensation is subject to contribution history and medical certification.
Maternity Leave
Employees are entitled to 22 weeks of maternity leave for the first and second child, and 26 weeks after the third child or any subsequent children. Like sick leave, maternity benefits are paid through the Social Insurance Fund.
Paternity & Parental Leave
Eligible fathers are entitled to two weeks of paid paternity leave through the Social Insurance Fund. New parents may also take up to 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave in addition to statutory maternity and paternity leave.
Public Holidays in Cyprus
Employees in Cyprus are generally entitled to paid time off on public holidays, which include:
January 1 – New Year's Day
January 6 – Epiphany (Theophania)
March 25 – Greek Independence Day
April 1 – National Day (EOKA Day)
Date varies – Orthodox Good Friday
Date varies – Orthodox Easter Monday
May 1 – Labour Day
Date varies – Orthodox Pentecost (Kataklysmos)
August 15 – Assumption Day
October 1 – Cyprus Independence Day
October 28 – Greek National Day (Ohi Day)
December 24 – Christmas Eve (often observed as a half-day)
December 25 – Christmas Day
December 26 – Boxing Day
Date varies – Clean Monday
Ready to Hire Confidently in Cyprus?
Justworks helps you compliantly hire, pay, and support employees in Cyprus without setting up a local entity.
