The research project Invisible Workers in Public View: The Case of the Cypriot Hospitality Industry
(acronym: IN_WORK) has come to an end! The research was funded under CUT’s Internal
Interdisciplinary Research Programmes (IRP) and was implemented from September 2024 to
December 2025.
IN_Work employed a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative
approaches in order to examine both the lived experiences of Third Country Nationals (TCNs)
employed in the Cypriot hospitality industry and the institutional discourses and practices that shape
these experiences. The study was informed by critical migration and mobilities studies, which
conceptualize tourism workplaces not merely as sites of employment, but as social spaces where
economic, regulatory, and symbolic mobilities intersect.
Research results: The hospitality sector in Cyprus is heavily dependent on TCN workers. This
dependence is not temporary, yet migration and labour policies continue to treat these people as a
short-term solution. The result is a growing gap between how the labour market actually works and
how it is governed. This creates risks for workers, employers and public bodies alike. Most TCNs hold
temporary residence and work permits tied to a single employer, limiting mobility and discouraging
complaints in cases of non-compliance. As these permits do not lead to long-term residence, they
reinforce prolonged temporariness rather than integration.
TCNs’ net earnings are reduced heavily through deductions for accommodation and food. Although
legal, weak supervision means that net wages are often minimum and housing standards are not
always ensured. Labor inspectorates are understaffed and rely on complaints, while workers are
often reluctant to report abuses for fear of losing their jobs and residence permits. As a result, the
legal equality they have championed does not always translate into effective protection.
NGOs and migrant organisations play a key role in providing legal advice and basic support, but their
work often remains informal and underfunded. Trade unions recognize the challenges of migrant
workers, although their reach is limited. Integration policies tend to address integration as an
individual responsibility. While TCNs are economically integrated, barriers to language learning,
equal rights, permanent residence and civic participation persist, leading to social and political
exclusion.
Policy reform should align migration governance with the long-term needs of the sector. Pathways
from temporary to long-term residence would provide stability for workers and employers. Reducing
reliance on individual employers, strengthening oversight of wage withholdings and housing
conditions, and strengthening labour inspections are key priorities. Integration should be seen as a
shared institutional responsibility. The hospitality sector does not face a temporary labour shortage,
but rather meets permanent needs through the widespread implementation of temporary
employment and work arrangements for TCNs. Addressing this mismatch is essential for labour
standards, social cohesion and the long-term sustainability of the sector.