You have made the decision to sell up and move to Cyprus, this article is a brief outline with tips relating to Southern Cyprus. The North of the island is separated and run by Turkey.

Research the areas around Southern Cyprus carefully, find out about the climate in towns and villages as best you can or you may find yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Nicosia is the capital city and in the summer it becomes extremely hot and humid, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos are not as hot but in the summer the temperature is only lower by a few degrees and they are humid areas too. The hillside villages have a breeze and make the hot summers more bearable, but be careful as some villages get very cold in the winter months of January and February, Polemi village on the Paphos side of the island recorded -5 in 2007; this will also feel extra cold after the heat of autumn. Find out before you settle what seasons your potential new home will have.

Before signing on the dotted line on an amazing villa with fantastic views, think, where is the nearest shop, Doctor and telephone line? Don't let excitement cloud your vision. Not all villages are linked to the main line telephone system yet and if you rely on the internet for working this is an important consideration, several hillside villages don't have shops as we know them, some are in a neighbours house and unless you know this you might have to get the car out and travel miles just for the milk, the main supermarkets are well stocked with products from Europe arriving daily and if you are from the UK and are used to a General Practitioner system, forget it in Cyprus, some villages have a visiting Doctor or you have to go the main town clinics, the ambulance system is getting better but is not paramedic manned ,the private one ‘Sophie's Angels' are manned with the medical support that is expected in an ambulance service it is worth finding out more about them, losing their child through poor ambulance support, motivated this couple to set up a modern system and named it after her. If you are retired an E121 form from the UK pensions department will cover you or private medical insurance is available, if you intend to work on the island you can contribute to the social insurance scheme. The hospitals are good and the majority of staff will speak English.

There are many court cases ongoing in the expat community related to house building, ask your High Commission which solicitor to use, the UK one has a list of those they consider will represent the British expat fairly, this is an island of cousins and quite often all situations are family linked, beware of using the solicitor of the builder as he could be more in favour of the builder than you. Rent a property for a year, research all those you want involved with building your dream home, research the land, is it the builders to sell? The Land Registry in Nicosia will help you find the boundaries and ownership. If the plot is away from the village, ask the village president, the Muhktah if the property has right of access and if so who is responsible for making the road up, you might find yourself with additional expenses if they won't recognise it as village land.

You will need to go to Immigration and register your stay on the island if you intend living permently, take with you several photocopies of paperwork with you, they say one copy but they really mean four or five! If you wonder, will I need this, take it as you can be sure that if you leave it at home they will want that one piece of information. Save Bank statements before you leave your original country, they do want to see you can support yourself financially and money laundering is not an issue. Organise your work and forget efficiency as you know it, this is Cyprus they are just getting to grips with the mountain of paperwork entering Europe has given them, there are expat support companies who will do this for you if you wish, their fees are not horrendous either. Patience needs to be packed when moving to Cyprus; a friendly smile will usually help you get through any obstacles.

Driving a car in Cyprus is the same as in the UK but not so safe, the driving is erratic and you do need your wits about you, safety is not an issue with a Cypriot driver, getting to the destination at speed is. The motorway is bliss; there is little traffic even at rush hour. If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident the police have to be informed and the cars left in position until they have arrived, even a minor prang will be called in. There are police radar traps and if you import a car, think kilometres not miles per hour if you have a twin speedometer. Road tax and MOT are required, the Ministry of Transport Office is where you register your car (if you import one then Customs will guide you through the process), the road tax can now be paid online or through The Cyprus Bank.

Taxes are paid in every country and in Cyprus the taxes are much lower than the UK, there is a dual treaty taxation agreement between the two countries, contact the UK tax office for the relevant forms, financial advisers are on the island and can help you go through the system smoothly.

Village taxes are paid at the local office in the majority of cases and there is not always a bill presented, find out when the water and community taxes are due and write it down, that way you will be able to keep track of payment months.
There is no piped gas on the island, gas bottles are used, electricity is about the same price as the UK and Cytanet the telephone company have various rates to offer, both the electricity board and telephone company require a deposit, you will need to register in the main offices, take passports, alien cards if you have one, photocopies and original of your rental agreement or proof of purchase, if you rent your landlord has to sign paperwork as well.

Since the introduction of the Euro currency there has been an increase in the cost of living in Southern Cyprus, the cost of currency exchange can be painful, the UK Nationwide Building Society does not charge you for using your credit card or debit card abroad, there are currency exchange companies who keep their costs low or you could bring all your money over from UK in Euros.

Many shipping companies in UK are used to Cyprus customs office, ring around and find out who has exported to the island before. 

 

The key factor is to research and ask questions, the lifestyle is very different to the fast paced life you are leaving behind, don't expect to get anything done on the day, if it happens enjoy the moment as it is rare. Websites such as smyhomepolemi or Cyprus Living will have information and links to help you plan and prepare.

Which other country in the world enjoys as many beaches, glorious days of sunshine as well as the cultural vibrancy of major metropolitan cities?

Which country in the world protects your rights to live your life as a person rather than a Number on some government registry?

In which other country in the world can you earn $15/hour just washing dishes?

Here's the good news, even if you are not intending to move to Australia and become a permanent resident, consider taking an extended holiday in Australia. Travel the island continent a little bit, work part-time, use the skills that you've learnt to get you jobs. If you're still curious about what life is like in Australia, check out this article from news.ninemsn.com.au Backpackers can work longer at one job

According to the article: "Thousands of backpackers holidaying in Australia can now work twice as long in a job under changes to the federal government's Working Holiday Maker Scheme."

Australia's facing a shortage of skilled labourers. We're not talking about degree holders but SKILLED hands. Meaning people who can fix cars, mend fences, look after trees, shear sheep, fix and clean air-conditioning units, those kind of menial jobs that don't require lots of study time. If you're honest, straight-up-the-centre, willing to work hard and most importantly, tolerant and flexible, you can get a lot from the generosity of the Australians.

If you are a tradesperson, as in someone who actually has a skill and has the qualifications to support your claims, you can earn some serious money.

A bricklayer in Australia earns more than a degree holder. His hourly rate is somewhere in the ballpark of AUD$40/hour and if he's smart about things he can earn more by taking on jobs on the side. He's also protected by a Union (should he wish to sign up for it) and only has to work for the stipulated number of hours i.e. 35 hours/week. Overtime is to be kept to a maximum of 8 hours/week and you get paid double if you have to work overtime!

Check out seek.com.au to get an idea of the number of jobs practically begging you to work for them.

More details on Australia's immigration policy can be found at immi.gov.au