Sri Lankan woman raised in Cyprus can only work as domestic helper

A young Sri Lankan woman living in south Cyprus with her mother for the past 15 years is only allowed to work as a domestic helper even though she got the green light to study business administration here.

This is what Philenews reported on Friday, adding that the 24-year-old woman has expressed despair over this injustice. Especially since she first went to elementary school, high school and college in Cyprus and despite the fact that she speaks three languages.

She has also applied for citizenship since she  considers Cyprus to be her homeland and all she asks is permission to get a chance in the free market.

The woman came over to Cyprus when she was eight years old, as her mother had already been living and working here for five years, and her father had passed away.

Her problems began in 2018 when she had graduated. “In order to stay in Cyprus I had to get approval from the Ministry of the Interior, because I do not have citizenship.”

She addressed the Department of Population and Immigration Records and was urged to send a relevant application.

“However, I was not given the right to work wherever I want,” she said. “And I can’t go back to Sri Lanka, I have neither family nor home and the situation there is extremely difficult,” she also said.

“I speak and write Greek. I have my mother and my friends here. This is my life and I consider Cyprus my country. I have never left this place ad I’m a legal resident,” she added.

In-Cyprus