Cyprus-Forum.com

[anth]

I am currently trying to find out information and would be very grateful if someone could help out with questions i have

so here it goes. I am a self employed in uk i renovate property and have been for 20 years and due to credit crunch not much work at the moment. I have thought about for a long time about moving abroad for a different life.

As cyprus is a eu country can i go there and look for work? And is work permit needed?

Is there much building work in cyprus, paphos area and do you think they would give an english guy work?

Can i get by as i dont know any greek yet?

[DANGAMAN]

It depends on how good your skills are.

It is not easy as the building industry is not at its best. Many people are out of work.

The developer sharks are using cheap labour.

Thats just my opinion, consider other views too, as I do not live in Pafos

[Get Real!]

Building materials and methods are very different here to England so that may well be your biggest “problem” because it follows that renovating would also be different.

As for the language issue, I guess you can get by as well as any foreigner gets by upon arriving in England with no English. It won’t be any different for you.

[anth]

hi there thanks for replie been in the trade for 20 yrs and up untill the down turn in uk have worked via word of mouth all the time never had to advertise once i believe in a fair price for a fair days work and would always leave a standard that i would expect in my own home.Have read some where that word of mouth spreads fast over there so hopefully will be good for me sorry if this sounds like i am being big headed just very proud in my work

[Z4]

big head

[Svetlana]

Anth

You will not require a Work permit as Cyprus is an EU Nation. However, you may find getting work tough as:
i) there is a major downturn in new builds, which means that.....
ii) there are many people looking for any work at any wages
iii) most of your target clients would be British, all of whom are suffering from the fact that their savings/income have been severly hit by exchange rates, so renovations/extensions have been put on hold.
iv) most properties bought by English speaking people are relatively new; those who have old properties may well own stone houses - which require special skills for renovation.

Being realistic rather than pessimistic, sorry.

Lana

[cyprusgeoff]

Yes, at this moment in time thing could be very, very difficult for your profession over here.

The building industry is suffering from a big slowdown and the recession has
made house selling very difficult if not impossible so it's more or less at a standstill.

It's expected by some people to remain so until 2011 and beyond.

[anth]

Yes, at this moment in time thing could be very, very difficult for your profession over here.

The building industry is suffering from a big slowdown and the recession has
made house selling very difficult if not impossible so it's more or less at a standstill.

It's expected by some people to remain so until 2011 and beyond.

What i will do is fly over in the next couple of weeks and take laptop with pics of work done and cvs, and go to building sites and see how i get on. At the same time be great to get away for a couple of weeks from doom and gloom in uk:)