Concerns raised over exploitation of foreign workers in the hospitality sector

Union leaders have recently highlighted the systematic exploitation of third-country nationals working within the hospitality and food service industries in Cyprus. These complaints recall systemic failures from previous years, during which asylum seekers were legally restricted to working only in agriculture and livestock, forcing many into illegal and precarious employment under poor conditions.

The reports highlight the personal cost of these policies, specifically describing the experience of an asylum seeker in Nicosia who was forced to work under assumed names in the hotel and bakery sectors for minimal compensation. His situation illustrates the broader struggles of many migrants who faced severe physical decline and poverty while waiting for asylum processing, often performing labor for which they were not legally permitted to seek wages.

Historically, the Ministry of Labour enforced strict sectoral employment limits for asylum seekers, effectively pushing individuals toward exploitative informal labor. This context serves as a critique of past regulatory barriers that hindered the integration and fair treatment of third-country nationals, leading to the current push by unions to address ongoing labor abuses in the service sector.