Short-staffed Cyprus greets foreign labor

The accord forged by the Cypriot Ministry of Labor alongside employer and trade union representatives to tackle workforce shortages, especially prevalent during the summer months, seems poised to confront a long-standing challenge head-on.

The downsizing of hotels and tourism enterprises has taken a toll on the quality of services rendered. Minister Yiannis Panayiotou has joined forces with social partners to fortify the labor market by integrating personnel from third countries.

Panayiotou emphasized to Kathimerini the collective agreement that states the partial opening of Cyprus to the international labor market "must not undercut the domestic market, labor standards and benefits, with foreign workers simply serving as a source of cheap labor."

According to ministry data, recent issues stem from Cyprus' economic metrics surpassing its demographic parameters,...