Sick leave rules in Cyprus at a glance
Statutory rules for Cyprus, checked against official government guidance on 15 October 2026.
| Tell your employer | Ask your employer |
|---|---|
| Self certification | None found, for sickness benefit |
| Doctor's certificate needed from | Day 1, for sickness benefit |
| Certificate deadline | Benefit form to Social Insurance Services within 21 days of the start of the illness |
| Waiting days | 3 days |
| Employer pays | Check with your insurer |
| State sickness benefit | Social Insurance sickness benefit from day 4 |
| Maximum duration | 156 days, up to 312 |
| Last checked |
Who pays sick pay in Cyprus?
In Cyprus, employer pay: check with your insurer. State sickness benefit: Social Insurance sickness benefit from day 4.
- Waiting daysDays 1 to 33 days
- EmployerCheck with your insurer
- State sickness benefitFrom day 4Social Insurance sickness benefit from day 4
- Official body
- Social Insurance Services
Work out your own figures with the sick pay calculator.
When do you need a doctor's note in Cyprus?
In Cyprus, a doctor's certificate is needed: day 1, for sickness benefit.
Self certification. None found, for sickness benefit
Certificate deadline. Benefit form to Social Insurance Services within 21 days of the start of the illness
Telling your employer. Ask your employer
Check your own dates with the "do I need a note" tool, or see how to get a doctor's note in Cyprus.
Worked example: 10 days off sick in Cyprus
How a 10 day absence runs in Cyprus, step by step. No money is worked out here.
| When | What happens | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tell your employer | Ask your employer |
| Days 1 to 3 | Waiting days | 3 days |
| From day 1 | A doctor's certificate is normally needed | Day 1, for sickness benefit |
| Days 4 to 10 | State sickness benefit | Social Insurance sickness benefit from day 4 |
Maximum duration: 156 days, up to 312
For your own figures, use the sick pay calculator. It reads the same checked data as this page.
What is different about sick leave in Cyprus?
In Cyprus, sickness benefit needs a certificate from day 1.
Send the benefit form to Social Insurance Services within 21 days of the start of the illness. The benefit starts on day 4, if you are not on full wages.
What if you work in Cyprus but live in another country?
If you work in Cyprus and live in another country, you are usually covered by the social security system where you work, so the rules on this page apply.
Ask your employer how and when to report sick, and send any certificate to the body that pays you (Social Insurance Services).
If your doctor is in another country, ask the paying body (Social Insurance Services) which format it accepts.
More on working in one country and living in another. Related tool: Fit to fly readiness checklist
Frequently asked questions
The certificate deadline in Cyprus: benefit form to Social Insurance Services within 21 days of the start of the illness.
Waiting days in Cyprus: 3 days.
The maximum duration of sick pay in Cyprus: 156 days, up to 312.
Self certification in Cyprus: none found, for sickness benefit.
Sick leave rules in neighbouring countries
Compare Cyprus with Malta and Greece, or see all 42 countries side by side.
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