Apply for a Social Insurance Number
It is important for all EU citizens to know that it is compulsory for all employees in Cyprus to contribute to the Social Insurance Scheme.
In Cyprus there is a general earnings related Social Insurance Scheme, which covers compulsorily, every person gainfully occupied in Cyprus either as employed or self employed person. Employed persons include civil servants and apprentices. Voluntary insurance is allowed to persons who wish to continue their insurance after a prescribed period of compulsory insurance or to persons who work abroad in the service of Cypriot employers.
The Scheme is financed by earnings related contributions payable by the insured person, the employer and the State.
The contribution rate for Employees is as follows:
1. As of 2014, 20.2% of your earning salary of which 7.8% is paid by the employee, 7.8% by the employer and 4.6% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic.
2. 21.5%, of which 8.3% is paid by the employee, 8.3% by the employer and 4.9% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic of the contribution year beginning on or after 1st of January 2019,
3. 22.8%, of which 8.8% is paid by the employee, 8.8% by the employer and 5.2% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic for the contribution year beginning on or after 1st of January 2024
4. 24.1%, of which 9.3% is paid by the employee, 9.3% by the employer and 5.5% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic of the contribution year beginning on or after 1st of January 2029,
5. 25.4%, of which 9.8% is paid by the employee, 9.8% by the employer and 5.8% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic of the contribution year beginning on or after 1st of January 2034,
6. 26.7%, of which 10.3% is paid by the employee, 10.3% by the employer and 6.1% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic for the contribution year beginning on or after 1st of January 2039.
In the case of Self-employed persons the contribution is:
1. 19.2%, of which 14.6% is paid by the self-employed and 4.6% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2014;
2. 20.5%, of which 15.6% is paid by the self-employed and 4.9% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2019;
3. 21.8%, of which 16.6% is paid by the self-employed and 5.2% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2024;
4. 23.1%, of which 17.6% is paid by the self-employed and 5.5% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2029;
5. 24.4%, of which 18.6% is paid by the self-employed and 5.8% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2034;
6. 25.7%, of which 19.6% is paid by the self-employed and 6.1% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contributions’ year 2039.
In the case of Voluntary insured persons the contribution is:
1. 17.1%, of which 13% is paid by the voluntary insured person and 4.1% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contribution year 2014;
2. 18.4%, of which 14% is paid by the voluntary insured person and 4.4% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contribution year 2019;
3. 19.7%, of which 15% is paid by the voluntary insured person and 4.7% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contribution year 2024;
4. 21%, of which 16% is paid by the voluntary insured person and 5% from the Consolidated Fund of the Republic, from the first Monday of the contribution year 2029.
Transferring your social insurance benefits
Cyprus, as of 1 May 2004, applies the EC Regulation 1408/71 and 574/72 which coordinate the social security systems of the member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The EC Regulation 1408/71 governs the retention and transfer of social security entitlements when a person moves from one member state to another.
The principles of these regulations are:
- No discrimination between nationalities (equal treatment)
- Workers are subject to legislation of only one state at a time
- The rights to benefits in course of acquisition are protected (aggregation of periods of insurance, employment or residence)
- The rights you have already acquired are protected (e.g. you can receive the benefits you have already claimed wherever you live in the EU).
Furthermore, Cyprus has concluded reciprocal agreements on social security with 5 countries/areas other than the EU member states (Canada, Quebec, Egypt, Australia and Syria) for the purpose of maintaining the social security rights of persons who move between Cyprus and these countries.
Kinds of Benefits
The scheme provides for various benefits including maternity grant, maternity allowance, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit, orphan's benefit, old age pension, widow's pension, invalidity pension.
In addition, the Scheme provides free medical treatment to victims of industrial accidents and occupational diseases and to invalidity pensioners.
Kind of benefit | Beneficiaries and details |
| (a) Marriage Grant | Abolished for weddings that took place on 1/1/2013 and thereafter. |
| (b) Maternity Grant | Mother, based on her or her husband’s contributions, employed, self-employed or voluntary contributor. Equal to 6% of the annual amount of the basic insurable earnings. |
| (c) Funeral Grant | Employed, self-employed and voluntary contributors, pensioners. The amount of the funeral grant is equal to 5,6% of the annual amount of the basic insurable earnings.
Payable to the widow or the widower or the person who has undertaken the funeral expenses. |
| (d)Maternity Allowance | Employed, self-employed women and voluntary insured women in the service of Cypriot Employers abroad. Maternity allowance is payable for a period of 18 weeks. |
| (e) Sickness Benefit | Employed, self employed and voluntary contributors in the service of Cypriot Employers abroad. The benefit is paid for at least 156 days in each period of interruption of employment. |
| (f)Unemployment Benefit | Employed and voluntary contributors in the service of Cypriot Employers abroad. The benefit is paid for 156 days in each period of interruption of employment. |
| (g) Invalidity Pension | Employed, self employed and voluntary contributors in the service of Cypriot Employers abroad. Invalidity pension is payable to persons who have been incapable for work for at least 156 days and are expected to remain permanently incapable for work. |
| (h) Old age Pension | Employed, self employed and voluntary contributors. An insured person is entitled to old age pension at the age of 65. If the person satisfies certain conditions then he is entitled to old age pension at the age of 63. |
| (i) Widow’s Pension | Employed, self employed and voluntary contributors. Widow’s pension is payable to the woman who was living with her husband before his death, or was maintained by him. Widower’s pension is also payable to a man who is permanently incapable of self-support and was permanently maintained by his wife before her death. |
| (j) Orphan’s Benefit | Employed, self employed and voluntary contributors. In the case where the orphan is under the age of 18, or is incapable of acting regardless of age, the benefit is paid to the person that maintains him. In all other cases the benefit is payable to the orphan. The benefit is paid until the orphan becomes an adult. Where the orphan is incapable of self-support, it is paid for life. |
| Benefits for employment accidents |
| (k) Injury Benefit | Employed persons. Is payable from the fourth day of interruption of employment due to employment accident or occupational disease and continues to be paid for up to 12 months. |
(l) Disablement
Benefit | Employed persons. May take the form of either a grant or a pension, depending on the degree of disablement. Payable to employed person, who as a result of an employment injury, suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty of a degree of not less than 10% with the ecemption for disability due to pneumoconiosis, which is compensated from 1%. It is payable for life except when the beneficiary recovers.
Disability grant is payable to employed persons whose degree of disability is between 10%-19%, and disability pension for disability 20% and above. |
| (m) Death Benefit | Employed persons. Death benefit is paid to the survivors of an employed person, who dies as a result of employment accident or occupational disease. The benefit includes: (i) widow’s pension, (ii) orphan’s benefit, (iii) parent’s allowance. |
For more information:
Social Insurance Services
Tel.: +357 22401600
Fax.: +357 22672984
e-mail: interrel@sid.mlsi.gov.cy
or visit their website on www.mlsi.gov.cy/sid
More information about the Rights and Obligations of the Employers and Employees concerning the social security contributions can be found below: