130,000 foreign workers in Cyprus

There are a total of 130,000 foreign workers in Cyprus, of whom 40,000 are Europeans and 70,000 are from third countries. This number is expected to rise with the accession to the European Union on January 1, 2007, of Bulgaria and Romania. Officials say that the present total does not include the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 illegals, who have either been smuggled to Cyprus or have overstayed their permits.

 

SEK wants to ban Bulgarian workers

 

The SEK trade union wants the government to ban the entry of Bulgarian and Romanian workers after their countries join the EU on January 1. The union prefers to ignore all Union protocols and insists on putting a ceiling on the number of workers expected from the two new member states.

 

Few companies hire handicapped

 

A small number of companies responded to the Ministry of Labour campaign to encourage the hiring of handicapped people, presently estimated at 750. Only ten employers, mostly in Nicosia, responded to the appeal and another hired three deaf people.

The incentives include a state subsidy of 60% of the employee’s annual wages with a maximum cap of CYP 4,800, while a further subsidy proportional to 40% of a handicapped employees annual wages, with a cap of CYP 3,200 will be granted for the construction of facilities and ramps or for the purchase of specialized equipment.