Everything you need to know about welfare, the labor office and labor cards?

When you first arrive in Cyprus, you might hear about welfare, the labor office, and labor cards—but it’s easy to get confused as these aren’t all part of one system or process and are often conflated. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you navigate.

“Welfare” refers to Social Welfare Benefits, financial support provided by the government to ease financial challenges. In Cyprus, this mainly includes:

• Material Reception Conditions (MRC): Cash and rent support by the Social Welfare Services for asylum seekers during their first 9 months and beyond if they are actively looking for work or unable to work. Learn how to apply for MRC [coming soon].

• Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI): Known by its Greek Shorthand EEE/Epsilon: Assistance for Cypriot nationals, EU citizens, and those with international protection or long-term residency. This supports individuals who can’t work, don’t earn enough to live dignifiedly, or are struggling to find employment but don’t qualify for Social Insurance Services’ unemployment benefits. Learn how to apply for GMI [coming soon].

The “Labor Office” is actually the Public Employment Service (PES). Because it’s a legal requirement to be actively looking for work in order to receive welfare benefits, the Social Welfare Services requires a certificate of registration at the PES you as job seekers. This certificate is often called a “Labor Card”.

To register in the Public Employment Service, please follow this guide.

• Create a PES Account (How to Create an Account to Register for a Labor Card)
• Register for a Job Seeker Certificate (How to Register or Re-Register for a Labor Card)
• Renew your Certificate (Need to renew your labor card?)
• Troubleshoot Renewal of your Certificate (Trouble renewing your labor card?)

PES registers individuals as job seekers only if they are able and available to work. It is not part of their mandate to consider challenges such as language barriers, lack of childcare, or medical conditions. Many are surprised when PES refuses to register them despite SWS directing there, however the two departments are separate.

Social Welfare Services can continue support in cases where PES registration isn’t possible, but this requires a detailed medical report confirming precisely an inability to work due to a medical condition, or an immediate relative’s medical need for constant care by the beneficiary. In addition, beneficiaries who are above the age of retirement are also exempt from PES registration.

We hope that clears up some ambiguity in the system, and if you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us at the Caritas Community Center!