# newbie. help please 😏



## Xxeileenxx85 (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi all. Im brand new to this board. Hoping you could all shower me with information and advice. My partner and I have been looking into moving to cyprus from scotland for a while now. We've done lots of reading up online but I would like to get advice and opinions from people who have made the move. 
We both currently work. Im a staff nurse and he works as a mechanic with the aa. How easy do you think finding a job for us both would be?
We also have a little boy whos 5. Im aware that I would need to pay for schooling for him. How much would I be looking at paying? Are the qualifications and curriculum similar to the uk?
Any other advice or tips would be greatly received. Thank you in advance. Eileen


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Please look through past threads that answer similar questions.

Cyprus is a place to retire to if you have the funds. It is not a place to come to with young children and the intention of working. The job situation is dire particularly if you don't speak Greek.

An initial fact-finding trip to assess your prospects is essential in my opinion.

If you do chance it make sure you have an emergency fund to return to the UK. You will not get any government support or handouts here.

Pete


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

Welcome to the forum. There are many threads that have answered similar questions and given the same generic advice to younger families contemplating the move to Cyprus. The gist of the threads and advice is that (unless you have family connections here, at least one partner is able to speak Greek and can fall back on independent income) it is extremely difficult to survive here, especially with the added expense of raising children. Employment will be a huge challenge and I would doubt there would jobs in the lines of work you indicated, there are some useful threads connected to nursing and the hoops required to secure work here. Schooling is also a challenge, the private schools that run a fully uk curriculum cost around 17k (lower for early years) and are ofsted inspected, being part of the SBAs, private Cypriot schools are less expensive (between 5-7k) but are not Quality assured. State schooling is an option which is free, but of course the curriculum is Cypriot and the language of instruction is Greek. I would not recommend placing a child in the state system, as it will severely limit their future opportunities, especially if a family has to return to the UK. I would advise massive amounts of research, much of which can be carried out by trawling through the threads here and using search to isolate topics. Good luck in making your decisions.


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

Hi Eileen, I am Theatre trained (odp) and have been medically retired. I have recently met another expat here, who is a staff nurse and works freelance. She is very busy! And so there is work available  
Regards, Pat


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

PatandDave said:


> Hi Eileen, I am Theatre trained (odp) and have been medically retired. I have recently met another expat here, who is a staff nurse and works freelance. She is very busy! And so there is work available
> Regards, Pat


There may be work available but how well paid is it?
With a young child unless both parents are in well paid jobs it is very hard to make ends meet here.
Cypriots with family to help them are struggling these days so without a good support network I think it would be foolish for any family with a young child to leave the Kwhere help is available if you have children and fall on hard times and come here where they would get no help at all.

Just my opinion of course, but I would hate to see a family with a young child end up on the breadline here.


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## Tanager (Mar 14, 2009)

I agree with Veronica. Life is not easy here at the moment. We met many people who made a bad decision, moved here and moved back to the UK without any money.


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

I absolutely agree with you both! The lady I spoke to said there was plenty of freelance nursing available, mostly district nursing. I didn't go in to detail with her but was shocked at hearing there is so much work available?!!


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2014)

PatandDave said:


> I absolutely agree with you both! The lady I spoke to said there was plenty of freelance nursing available, mostly district nursing. I didn't go in to detail with her but was shocked at hearing there is so much work available?!!


Just a question. Is a UK registered nurse also approved to work as the same in Cyprus?

Anders


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

Vegaanders said:


> Just a question. Is a UK registered nurse also approved to work as the same in Cyprus?
> 
> Anders


Good question! In the UK we had many Phillipino and Spanish nurses, who's qualifications were recognised. Not sure how it works here though!


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2014)

PatandDave said:


> Good question! In the UK we had many Phillipino and Spanish nurses, who's qualifications were recognised. Not sure how it works here though!


I know that in Sweden you need to go in med school for a while to learn medical Swedish among other things. Sweden need a lot of nurses and that is one problem even for EU trained nurses

Anders


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## die7 (Nov 6, 2012)

Vegaanders said:


> I know that in Sweden you need to go in med school for a while to learn medical Swedish among other things. Sweden need a lot of nurses and that is one problem even for EU trained nurses
> 
> Anders


Send your papers to the ministery of health in Nicosia. Maybe this helps:
MINISTRY OF HEALTH - Forms
The documents are in Greek cause they say they expect a good knowledge of Greek
Tel: +35722605477, +35722605400
or have a look here:
MINISTRY OF HEALTH - Forms
(Application general nursing)

Good luck


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

YES UK qualified nurses are greatly sought after in the private clinics. The clinic will apply on your behalf to get you the work permit. My wife worked for a few years here she is a Radiographer. As for the Mechanic there are a few UK mechanics here who have a van and do servicing from the van. Send an e-mail to Simon Emery in Paphos he is running his own busines and employs UK mechanics only.

Good luck


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

expatme said:


> YES UK qualified nurses are greatly sought after in the private clinics. The clinic will apply on your behalf to get you the work permit. My wife worked for a few years here she is a Radiographer. As for the Mechanic there are a few UK mechanics here who have a van and do servicing from the van. Send an e-mail to Simon Emery in Paphos he is running his own busines and employs UK mechanics only.
> 
> Good luck


We could do with a British mechanic who knows what he is doing here


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Veronica said:


> We could do with a mechanic who knows what he is doing here


That's what I've found with most British workmen here!! There's too many arrive here inexperienced and unqualified who set up as experts.

Pete


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

I am sorry to hear such negative comments on here. You are what I call Pommie WINGERS. Always ready to have a go at anyone or any hting. Simon Emery came here to work and is a very hard worker. He has employed TOP CLASS mechanics. I know having purchased 5 cars off him since we first came to Cyprus in 2004. He will always help any one as will his smiling helpfull mechanics


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

expatme said:


> I am sorry to hear such negative comments on here. You are what I call Pommie WINGERS. Always ready to have a go at anyone or any hting. Simon Emery came here to work and is a very hard worker. He has employed TOP CLASS mechanics. I know having purchased 5 cars off him since we first came to Cyprus in 2004. He will always help any one as will his smiling helpfull mechanics


Apart from one comment made specifically and my generalised observation based on actual experiences, could you please quote all the comments showing that we are "having a go at anyone or anything"?

You might also note that I don't think anyone involved in this is a *Pommy* and I personally prefer you to spell whinger correctly even when it is used incorrectly.

Pete


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Without naming the garage here I can say from experience that not all POMMIE mechanics know what they are doing. Our vehicle was taken to such a garage and the problem was not only not cured but in fact made worse and cost us more money to get the bad work put right. In fact we have had that experience with not one but two POMMIE garages (which I will not name here) and had to get Cypriot mechanics to put the problems right.
Needless to say we won't be using British mechanics in future.


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

Veronica said:


> Without naming the garage here I can say from experience that not all POMMIE mechanics know what they are doing. Our vehicle was taken to such a garage and the problem was not only not cured but in fact made worse and cost us more money to get the bad work put right. In fact we have had that experience with not one but two POMMIE garages (which I will not name here) and had to get Cypriot mechanics to put the problems right.
> Needless to say we won't be using British mechanics in future.


Hi Veronica,

I am sorry to hear that and hope that you now have an established relationship with a reputable mechanic.

I have been most fortunate in my dealings with ex-pat UK mechanics and have always recomended them to all my many friends who are also happy with them


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