Initially, all visitors to North Cyprus are issued a three-month tourist visa. Before this expires, you must apply for a temporary residence permit – see our article here for more details. You will be fined for every day over the three-month visa that you remain in Northern Cyprus unless you have applied for a residence permit.

You must have a work permit to work in North Cyprus. Work permits, which are temporary, are currently only being granted to those offered a specific post, which cannot be filled by a qualified North Cypriot citizen. Furthermore, you cannot officially apply for a work permit while you are actually in North Cyprus, although this position appears to be flexible on a local level. Always check with the government before taking employment for the first time.
How to get a work permit for Northern Cyprus

You must find a North Cyprus employer who is willing to apply on your behalf to the Migration officer at the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance will advise the Migration Officer as to the current workplace position for jobs such as you are applying for, and guide the Officer through the labour laws. It is for your future employer to prove that he needs your skills, and your skills only.

Thanks to the boom in property development, skilled tradesmen and construction specialists such as civil engineers are in demand. There is also demand for experienced estate agents to deal with the booming property sales too! Internationally qualified teachers are required; there are five universities in Northern Cyprus already. Jobs relating to tourism, including travel reps and waiting staff, do also come up.