New decisions on employment of foreign workers

Α Ministerial Committee, dealing with the employment of foreign workers in Cyprus, has taken a series of decisions to improve employment terms and conditions and tackle pending problems.
The Committee has decided that foreign housemaids and employment agencies have to contribute to a guarantee, payable for the employment of foreign workers in Cyprus.
Announcing the decision after a Committee meeting, Interior Minister, Neoklis Sulikiotis said this will make accountable to the authorities not only the employer but also other interested parties, should any problems arise during employment.
The Ministerial Committee comprises the Ministers of Interior, Labor, Justice and Commerce, as well as the General Attorney and other officials.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance is committed to presenting regulations on the conditions under which employment agencies can bring housemaids. At the same time, penalties for those who act against the law will be examined.
Sylikiotis also said that the Committee discussed the status of long term residents on the island, such as housemaids, following a Supreme Court decision that maids from third countries who have completed five years of continuous stay in Cyprus cannot assume the status of long-term resident because when they arrived, they came to work for four years.
He explained however that housemaids who meet these conditions will be able to renew their residence permit to continue working for the elderly and for patients who need care.
The Committee also dealt with visas for artistes in an effort to curtail human trafficking and discussed the issue of extending the work permit of political asylum seekers.
He said the Committee decided to lift restrictions on the employment of foreign labour for the agriculture sector.