The Government is launching a new campaign abroad in May, intensifying the effort to repatriate Cypriot professionals and highly skilled workers, as part of the national initiative Minds in Cyprus.
Following the approval by the Parliament of the bill that expands tax incentives to attract expatriate professionals, Nicosia is now turning its weight to new actions in Athens, Thessaloniki, the United Kingdom and the USA. The new legal framework adds another important tool to the effort to return Cypriots with experience, know-how and specialization.
According to information, the new events are scheduled for mid-May and will take the form of job fairs. These are organized events, in which employers and prospective employees come into direct contact, discuss employment opportunities, submit CVs and conduct interviews.
At the same time, information is provided on labour market conditions, networking opportunities and, in many cases, participation in workshops.
The start is expected to take place in Athens, where the first event is scheduled for May 13. Similar events will follow in Thessaloniki, as well as in the United Kingdom and the USA. These actions come as a continuation of last year's major event held in May in England, with the participation of more than 750 Cypriots working abroad.
Interest is growing
According to data obtained by "F", 670 talents, mainly Cypriot expatriates, have already expressed interest through the "Minds in Cyprus" platform and the "Opportunities for Talent" mechanism of the Ministry of Labour, with the aim of moving and working in Cyprus.
79 active jobs are currently published on the platform, of which 72 concern the private sector and seven in the public and wider public sector. At the same time, 371 ads for additional jobs have already been closed.
The "Opportunities for Talent" mechanism operates within the framework of the "Minds in Cyprus" initiative and is an additional channel to connect Cypriots of the diaspora with quality professional opportunities in Cyprus. The operation of the platform, which brings together professionals who wish to build a career in Cyprus with available jobs, is simple and straightforward.
Interested professionals who are abroad apply through the platform, registering their personal details, their academic qualifications, their country of residence, their work experience, as well as the professional sector in which they wish to operate.
On the other hand, companies post the available jobs. Then, the Labour Department proceeds to match the qualifications of the interested parties with the requirements of the positions. Once the relevant analysis is completed, the interested parties are informed about the available career opportunities and receive the necessary contact information to contact the employers directly.
There were 233 pairings of candidates and jobs
A few weeks ago, the Minister of Labour Marinos Mousiouttas, in response to a question by AKEL MP Giorgos Koukoumas, stated that the Department of Labour participates in the implementation of the "Minds in Cyprus" plan, which is being implemented with the aim of repatriating talented Cypriot professionals from abroad, through the management and processing of the data received from the electronic platform.
As the minister noted, according to the declarations of interest and the notifications of highly qualified vacancies, a total of 233 couplings between candidates and jobs have taken place. However, it is clarified that neither the individuals themselves nor the employers who participated through the platform provided systematic feedback on the final outcome of the couplings. This, as pointed out, limits the ability of the Department of Labour to accurately assess the degree of successful professional rehabilitation or repatriation.
At the same time, it is noted that the EURES (European Employment Services) Advisers have undertaken the support of a number of people who have expressed interest through the platform, providing them with guidance, information and any necessary assistance within the framework of their responsibilities, with the aim of facilitating their professional integration into the Cypriot labour market.
At the same time, it is indicated that within the framework of the HRDA's responsibilities, no in-company training programs have been approved or subsidized, especially for Cypriot scientists or professionals who have been repatriated, with the aim of adapting them to Cypriot life and business. In addition, it is clarified that the vocational training projects and activities approved and subsidized by the HRDA are open to all beneficiaries, including people who have been repatriated, as defined in the Policy and Procedures Guide of each project.
It is also stated that, in most projects involving employees, the decision on the participation of the specific people in the programs is taken by the employers and the employees do not bear any costs.
"In such cases, taking into account that the repatriated persons will be employed and not unemployed upon their return to Cyprus, then they can participate in the plans and activities of the HRDA, provided that they are legally employed (part-time or full-time) in businesses/organizations," he concludes.
The provisions of the Action Plan, after the amendment
The Action Plan focuses on specific interventions, with the aim of facilitating the return and reintegration of Cypriots abroad.
In detail, the talent repatriation plan provides:
∙ Strengthening and expanding tax incentives to attract professionals. Among other things, the tax exemption rate was increased from 20% to 25% of the remuneration from employment. At the same time, the maximum amount of the tax exemption was increased from €8,550 to €25,000, while the required time of absence from the Republic to secure the exemption was also reduced, from 15 to seven years, after the completion of the individual's studies. In addition, flexibility is provided to the criterion of employment outside the Republic, since from the requirement for three consecutive years, the provision is now applied for at least 36 months in the last five years, while the self-employed are also covered.
∙ Promotion of actions by the Civil Registry and Elections for the faster acquisition of Cypriot citizenship by spouses, cohabitants and cohabitants by concluding a political cohabitation of the repatriates.
∙ Facilitating access to the housing plans of the Ministry of Interior, through the removal of the requirement to complete two years of permanent residence in Cyprus after repatriation, so that those interested can become beneficiaries immediately upon their return.
∙ Acceleration of the registration process of health professionals in the competent registration councils.
∙ Promotion of administrative actions for the faster recognition of specialty qualifications from EU countries.
∙ Study on the amendment of the legislation on the recognition of medical specialty degrees from third countries.
∙ Provision of free or subsidized learning of the Greek language, in order to facilitate the integration of cohabitants and children.
∙ Subsidized in-house training programs to adapt to the Cypriot situation and business.
∙ Expansion of the tuition grant scheme for children of repatriated Cypriots of the diaspora attending private secondary schools. The annual grant was increased from €768 to €1,000, while the eligibility criterion was also revised, reducing the requirement for continuous permanent residence abroad from 10 to seven years. The maximum number of beneficiaries remains at 150 students per year.
