Cyprus: Remote Work Visa Introduced

• Validity. The visa is valid for up to one year, and renewable for an additional two years. 
• Other criteria.  Applicants must have health insurance; a clean criminal record; and must have access to sufficient amount of funds according to government regulations, either from employment or from client service.
• Dependents.  Dependents are eligible for dependent visa status but would not be authorized to work or engage in economic activity.

This new category provides an immigration pathway for remote workers, which was previously not available.  

• Continuing trend.  Although digital nomad visas and permits are not being introduced as rapidly as when the trend first started, we still see such tailored digital nomad statuses being introduced over the past months, with more in the pipeline in Europe and other regions.  
• Remote work visa warning. In countries where remote work is unregulated, workers and employers may unknowingly put themselves at risk of noncompliance with many aspects of the law, exposing them to possible fines or other penalties, depending on the country. Importantly, noncompliance with regulations could result in employers losing their rights to hire foreign labor. Additionally, this type of work arrangement may have employment or tax law impacts. It will become increasingly important as such policies are developed (and in many countries where remote work is unregulated) for employers to analyze strategies and assess risks associated with implementing and/or continuing remote work policies with a trusted immigration partner. 

Remote work and non-traditional non-sponsored statuses remain of high interest to corporate and public stakeholders globally. As the pandemic continues to impact mobility worldwide, countries continue to seek innovative measures to boost post-COVID-19 economic remobilization. Additionally, as the remote work trends continue at a slower pace, governments want to keep up with the competition for sought-after talent by introducing remote work policies in line with neighboring states. Fragomen will report on related developments.