Understanding how tax exemptions work can help you maximize your take-home pay while working in Cyprus. By reducing your taxable income, these exemptions allow professionals to keep a larger portion of their salary, making Cyprus an attractive destination for employment.

Tax exemptions play a crucial role in attracting professionals to Cyprus by offering financial incentives to individuals who move to the country for employment. These exemptions reduce taxable income and, consequently, lower the amount of income tax owed.

What is a Tax Exemption?

A tax exemption allows certain individuals to exclude a portion of their income from taxation, subject to specific conditions. In Cyprus, tax exemptions are primarily granted to individuals relocating for work purposes.

Applied tax exemptions = More money in your pocket!

Deduction vs. Exemption: Understanding the Difference

Before diving into tax exemptions, it's essential to understand the difference between tax deductions and tax exemptions:

Tax Exemptions: A part of your income that is not taxed at all. It is automatically excluded from taxation.
Tax Deductions: Expenses that you can subtract from your taxable income before calculating how much tax you owe.

Tax Exemptions for Employment in Cyprus

An individual may be eligible for a tax exemption if they:

Were residents outside of Cyprus before taking up employment in Cyprus.
Are commencing their first employment in Cyprus.

Cyprus offers two main tax exemption schemes: the 50% tax exemption and the 20% tax exemption. These exemptions help professionals benefit from lower tax burdens for a specified duration. Both exemptions cannot be applied simultaneously.

Criteria	50% Tax Exemption	20% Tax Exemption
Eligibility	Not a Cyprus tax resident for at least 15 consecutive years before employment	Not a Cyprus tax resident for at least 3 years before employment
Minimum Salary	€55,000 per year	Less than €55,000 per year
Tax Reduction	50% of employment income is tax-exempt	20% of employment income is tax-exempt (up to €8,550 per year)
Duration	Up to 17 years	Up to 7 years
Applicability	For high earners relocating to Cyprus	For individuals with moderate incomes relocating to Cyprus
Key Restriction	Cannot be applied if salary falls below €55,000 in any tax year	Ceases to apply if salary exceeds €55,000

In this article, we will go through detailed examples of when these exemptions apply, when they do not, and how they can be reinstated if lost.

The 50% Tax Exemption

Individuals who start their first employment in Cyprus on or after 1 January 2022 may qualify for a 50% tax exemption on their employment income if they meet the following conditions:

They were not tax residents of Cyprus for at least 15 consecutive years prior to their employment.
Their annual salary must exceed €55,000 (this threshold can be met in either the first or second year of employment).

Key Points:

The exemption applies for up to 17 years from the start of employment.
If the annual salary falls below €55,000 in a given tax year, the exemption does not apply for that year.

Below are examples:

Maria moves to Cyprus in 2023 to work as an IT manager with an annual salary of €60,000. Since she was not a Cyprus tax resident for 15 years before taking up employment and her salary exceeds €55,000, she qualifies for the 50% tax exemption. This means she will only be taxed on €30,000 instead of her full salary.
George moves to Cyprus in 2024 for a finance role earning €50,000 annually. Although he has not been a Cyprus tax resident for 15 years, his salary is below €55,000, making him ineligible for the 50% tax exemption.
Elena relocates to Cyprus in 2023 and starts a job with an initial salary of €53,000. In 2024, her salary increases to €58,000, meeting the threshold within the second year. She now qualifies for the 50% tax exemption.
Sophia moves to Cyprus in 2023 with a salary of €57,000, making her eligible for the 50% tax exemption. However, in 2026, due to economic difficulties, her salary drops to €52,000, causing her to lose the exemption for that year. In 2027, her salary increases again to €58,000, making her once again eligible for the exemption.
Nicolas starts working in Cyprus in 2023 with a salary of €65,000, qualifying for the 50% tax exemption. In 2027, he takes a one-year sabbatical, and upon his return in 2028, he resumes employment with the same salary. Since he is still within the 17-year exemption period and his salary remains above €55,000, he continues to benefit from the 50% exemption.

The 20% Tax Exemption

Individuals earning less than €55,000 per year can qualify for a 20% tax exemption on their employment income. This exemption applies under the following conditions:

The individual was not a tax resident of Cyprus for at least 3 years before starting employment in Cyprus.
The maximum amount that can be exempted per year is €8,550.
The exemption is available for 7 years, starting from the year after employment begins.

Below are examples:

John, an IT engineer, moves to Cyprus in 2024 with an annual salary of €40,000. Since he was not a Cyprus tax resident for three years before taking up employment, he qualifies for the 20% tax exemption. He will be taxed on €31,450 instead of his full salary (€40,000 - €8,550 = €31,450). This exemption will apply until 2031.
Anna moves to Cyprus in 2025 and starts working as a junior specialist with a salary of €35,000 per year. However, she was a Cyprus tax resident for four of the last five years before her move. Since she does not meet the 3-year non-residency condition, she does not qualify for the 20% tax exemption.
David moves to Cyprus in 2023 with an initial salary of €45,000 and qualifies for the 20% tax exemption. However, in 2025, his salary increases to €56,000, exceeding the threshold for the 20% exemption. Since he no longer meets the salary condition, the exemption is no longer applicable from 2025 onward.
Sophia moves to Cyprus in 2023 with a salary of €57,000, making her eligible for the 50% tax exemption. However, in 2026, due to economic difficulties, her salary drops to €52,000, causing her to lose the exemption for that year. In 2027, her salary increases again to €58,000, making her once again eligible for the exemption.
Alex starts working in Cyprus in 2023 with a salary of €42,000, qualifying for the 20% tax exemption. In 2026, he decides to take a two-year break and leaves Cyprus. When he returns in 2028 and resumes employment with a salary of €48,000, he is still within the 7-year exemption period and can continue benefiting from the 20% exemption until 2030.

Cases Where No Exemption Applies

There are situations where neither exemption applies due to residency history or salary thresholds. Below are examples:

Michael moves to Cyprus in 2024 with a salary of €50,000. However, he has been a Cyprus tax resident for the past 10 years, meaning he does not meet the non-residency requirement for either the 50% or 20% exemption. Since his salary does not exceed €55,000, he also cannot qualify for the 50% exemption, leaving him with no tax relief options under these schemes.
Sarah secures employment in Cyprus in 2025 with an annual salary of €54,000. While this is close to the €55,000 threshold required for the 50% exemption, it does not meet the requirement, making her ineligible. Additionally, she earns more than €55,000, exceeding the income cap for the 20% exemption. As a result, she cannot apply for either tax exemption.
Jamie starts working in Cyprus in 2024 with an annual salary of €45,000. While this amount qualifies for the 20% tax exemption, David has been a Cyprus tax resident for the past 5 years, failing the 3-year non-residency condition. As a result, he does not qualify for the 20% exemption, and since his salary is below €55,000, he also cannot apply for the 50% exemption.
Emma moves to Cyprus in 2025 for a part-time job earning €30,000 per year. This salary is far below the €55,000 threshold required for the 50% exemption. Additionally, she was a resident for 4 of the last 5 years, disqualifying her from the 3-year non-residency requirement needed for the 20% exemption. With both exemptions out of reach, she is fully taxable under standard Cyprus tax regulations.
Andreas has lived in Cyprus his entire life and earns €55,000 per year. While his salary technically meets the threshold for the 50% exemption, he does not satisfy the 15-year non-residency rule, making him ineligible. Similarly, because he has never been a non-resident, he does not qualify for the 3-year non-residency requirement needed for the 20% exemption. Since he does not meet the criteria for either scheme, Andreas is fully taxable on his income.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Tax Burden

If you do not qualify for any tax exemptions, there are still several ways to reduce your taxable income and lower your overall tax burden in Cyprus:

Contributions to a Provident Fund – Contributing to a provident fund can help reduce taxable income while also building long-term financial security.
Pension Contributions – Payments into an approved pension scheme are deductible from taxable income, reducing the amount subject to taxation.
Life Insurance Premiums – Certain life insurance policy payments may be tax-deductible.
Donations to Charitable Organizations – Donations to registered charities in Cyprus may be eligible for tax deductions.
Medical and Health Insurance Contributions – Contributions to private health insurance or medical schemes may reduce taxable income.
Education Expenses – Certain education-related expenses for dependents may be eligible for tax relief.

By utilizing these strategies, individuals can optimize their tax planning even without qualifying for direct tax exemptions.

Conclusion

The tax exemption schemes in Cyprus provide significant financial benefits to individuals relocating for employment. Whether qualifying for the 50% exemption for high earners or the 20% exemption for lower earners, these incentives make Cyprus an attractive destination for professionals looking to optimize their tax obligations while working abroad.

However, it is important to note that both exemptions cannot be applied simultaneously. Individuals must meet the specific criteria of one exemption or the other but cannot benefit from both at the same time.

For anyone considering employment in Cyprus, understanding these exemptions can help in tax planning and maximizing take-home pay.

Understanding 50% and 20% Tax Exemptions in Cyprus