SquareMango was officially set up by the end of September 2003, after which she was able to apply for the necessary work permit – a task involving numerous trips to the Labour office and other government departments.

“Patience is not only a virtue in Cyprus, but an absolute must to avoid the frustration of the lengthy procedures,” she says. “Once the work permit came through at the end of October I needed to arrange for a work contract. The standard contract in Cyprus then catered only for very basic labour employment and was completely unsuitable for public relations work.
I outlined a new version which made more accurate provisions for my business needs, but it was refused. In the end I had to sign a work contract that bore no relation to my business – which illustrates yet another of the country’s bureaucratic peculiarities.

“Although I spoke a little conversational Greek, I didn’t stretch to bureaucratic language, so the availability of forms in English for nearly everything in Cyprus was a very welcome feature.” With the work contract officially accepted, Sacha could then turn her attention to the next challenge – getting residency status. She recalls that in the long road to receiving the alien card in December 2003 and getting the coveted pink slip three months later, a smile went a long way!

Sacha strongly advises people considering relocation to talk to someone who’s already gone through the process, and also to speak to experts about the legal requirements and systems. Getting good advice can have financial benefits.

The first CY£9,000 (£10,840) of earnings are tax free, with income received above this sum being taxed in staged brackets, as in the UK. Social insurance for a one-person company includes an employee as well as a company contribution, which means that Sacha is paying the equivalent of two contributions. But while, overall, the tax system compares favourably with the UK’s, it was the working lifestyle that held the most attraction for Sacha.

“I have total freedom here. Working from home not only means that travel is now eliminated from my working day, but my time is flexible and as Cyprus is two hours ahead of UK time, this gives me a cushion in the morning, which is especially assuring when it comes to deadlines. I can take time off whenever I like – I can swim or go out with friends at lunch times and when it comes to holidays I can choose what time to take off in line with Cypriot or English public holidays. The Monday morning feeling has gone and I very rarely have stress. I used to look forward to holidays to de-stress but here I don’t need to.”

Before her move, Sacha worked with a mix of technology, consumer and business-to-business clients. SquareMango’s clients include design companies, healthcare organisations and a new on-line service for people who are learning languages and who want to find pen pals for mutual help and support. Her first Cypriot client was a scuba diving company. “I took on a Cypriot client mainly for experience of PR within the Cyprus media world, and also to test out the kind of fees I’d be able to charge.”

Another major benefit for expats is that they get the chance to try ventures that might not be possible in Britain. Sacha explains, “Cyprus doesn’t demand the stringent qualifications the UK does. For example, I had no previous experience in casting for TV, film and advertisements, but I had all the necessary skills. Here I have been given the opportunity to work in this field and I love every minute of it! It is also a great opportunity, since this industry is likely to grow in Cyprus as companies get to know the vast array of filming locations and the productive media set up.”

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life and would recommend it to anyone,” she says. “The secret is to take on board the Cypriot ethos of siga, siga (slowly, slowly) and to relax. You can learn so much from their way of life. It’s not a must to learn the language, though it does help: life really takes off here when you start to talk to people and integrate with the locals. Who you know also counts for a lot, as the Cypriots are fantastically helpful. By getting to know them, you will be much better equipped to make the most of the fantastic opportunities.”