Cyprus-Forum.com

[djtrax98]

Hey,
This is my first post on this forum.
I was shocked when i first came back over here from the uk two years ago. I feel i may have made the biggest mistake of my life, for although life and traditions on the island is excellent, it does seem to be the case that the prices on everything are increasing but wages are still remaining low. I came over having left a job that was paying me over 1000GBP to a job which was paying me 350 a month here?!?!?!? That said, i kept having to chase my boss for my wages and it turns out he lied to me about paying social insurance for me, as an english cypriot born and bread here, i was also told that that because my id card said i was british i had to pay cyta 100cyp because i was a foreigner, and i have now also been told i have been working illegally (apparently as an eu national in an eu contry i still need to have a work permit??) which i am liable for.
Correct me if i am wrong but there also seems to be a slightly racial attitude towards foreign nationals and repatriated cypriots still, which is unfortunate. This is evident within the local papers with all the immigration cases.
So for me personally, i am returning to the uk, where i am to return to a higher paid job, where everyone i work with see me as one of the team and NOT as the one from 'abroad' as is the case here.
So to the gentleman who writes into this forum asking about Cyprus jobs. BE CAREFUL of whats offered and whats actually given. Its two separate things. And be sure to check out everything you need to on the island first, so like me you dont end up packing your bags and leaving to germany once more. Just be careful, its not as cut and dry as it appears here still.

[twinkle]

djtrax98, just read your message. Change your id card to Cypriot/British and things get a whole lot easier....

Also, the wages may be lower and it seems your fingers were burnt with the Cr@p company you worked for but not all companies in Cyprus are the same. I wouldn't want to return to working in London for any amount of money. The communting, the high prices, the fact you're working to live and not living to work, the lack of security, the filth and dirt in London. Good luck to you!

[unique_earthling]

How do you change your card to cypriot/english? I work in Paphos and my wages for a woman are 550 a month and thats considered good... rents here are very expensive, 300 up a month for a 2 bed apartment. internet 40 pounds a month and electric this month seemed higher than ever 80 pounds 2 monthly and i am out all day, let alone running a car because you cant do without one. my water is around 10 pound every two months. Doesnt sound alot in comparison to England but the wages are so much lower. Its a real struggle to buy clothes and i dont know what to do if the washing machine breaks or i need knew furniture. Living alone is no picnic on the wages here believe me..

[twinkle]

If you are 1/2 Cypriot you can change you id card to state that. My dad is Cypriot but I have a British passport. Go to the dept that issued the card and they will change it for a small fee and a completed form.

[davidp]

I know scooter messengers in Nicosia earning £800+ a month so a qualified and skilled person taking home £400 per month even with accomodation paid is a piss take.

Trouble is Cabbie, these scooter messengers pay most of their earnings into health insurance 'cos they are most in need of it.

[Rickers]

I don't know -- I reckon that scooter messengers in Nicosia have a life expectancy of around 2 months -- £ 1600 for a life doesn't sound like such a good deal !!

[annecollings]

I would think as a draughts person you should earn more. Depending on where you will live you could rent a one bed place for may be min. CYP150.

Some years ago I worked with horses here and although I thoroughly enjoyed my job and I am qualified to teach riding etc I only earned CYP275 per month with a house to live in, working 6 days a week! I was completely aware of the lower wages in Cyprus and didn't expect too much. But for your job I would be very careful, my thoughts are that you should get more. Buy hey, this is Cyprus.....