Cyprus’ Human Resource Development Authority (Anad) has brought self-employed workers into all its training schemes for the first time, in what its chairman Constantinos Fellas described as “a historic change” in vocational training. 

Fellas said the reform, which came into effect on April 6, marks a new era for thousands of professionals across Cyprus, allowing them to participate in Anad schemes with a subsidy, in the same way as employees. 

“This is an important development that opens up new prospects for thousands of professionals throughout Cyprus,” he said, adding that the decision reverses a long-standing gap in the country’s training system. 

According to Fellas, the self-employed had for years remained outside the Anad’s sphere of activity, despite being “a key part and a living cell of the Cypriot economy”. 

He said this had left thousands of professionals without access to subsidised training, even though they contributed directly to the country’s economic activity and needed opportunities to upgrade their knowledge and skills. 

This gap, he explained, has now been closed through the human resources development (amendment) law of 2026 and the approval of the human resource development authority (fees payable by employers and self-employed persons) regulations of 2026. 

“For the first time, self-employed persons are fully integrated into the Anad support system,” Fellas said. 

He said the new framework is mandatory and universal, with self-employed persons paying a contribution of 0.5 per cent of their insurable earnings, an amount equivalent to what employers pay for their employees. 

The collection, he explained, will be carried out by the social insurance services together with social insurance contributions. 

Fellas said the payment of the fee acts as the self-employed worker’s “ticket” to the subsidised training system, as it strengthens the Anad while at the same time giving access to schemes that had until now been considered a privilege of employees. 

Based on 2024 data, he said the number of new beneficiaries reaches 31,000 self-employed workers. 

The largest professional groups, according to Fellas, include 6,979 store managers, 3,452 accountants, economists, lawyers and other freelancers, 2,929 doctors, pharmacists and other health professionals, 2,709 technicians, and 2,389 builders and related professions. 

He said the annual fee they will pay ranges from €50 to €160, depending on the professional category, while the total annual contribution to the Anad is estimated at €2.3 million, based on their 2024 contributions to the social insurance fund. 

Fellas explained that the process for joining the system is simple and will be carried out through the Ermis electronic portal. 

Each interested person, he said, must register in the Anad register as a natural person, if they are not already registered, and then obtain the role of “Self-employed” through Ermis. 

However, he noted that the method of submitting applications depends on whether the self-employed person also employs staff. 

Where a self-employed person is also an employer, Fellas said applications for the approval of training programmes, or for participation in training programmes, should be submitted under the role of “Employer”. 

By contrast, he said self-employed persons who do not employ staff should submit applications under the role of “Self-employed person”. 

With the reform, Fellas said self-employed workers now gain access to all Anad schemes, including single-enterprise training programmes in Cyprus, single-enterprise training programmes in Cyprus under state aid, single-enterprise programmes abroad, ordinary multi-enterprise programmes, and multi-enterprise programmes of vital importance. 

The grants they can receive, he said, are the same as those available for employees. 

For most programmes, Fellas said the subsidy can reach up to €20 per hour, while for programmes of vital importance it can reach up to €100 per hour. 

He added that training abroad can also be subsidised by up to €8,400, covering tuition fees, travel, accommodation and staff costs. 

Fellas said the inclusion of the self-employed should not be seen merely as an administrative expansion of Anad schemes. 

Rather, he described it as “a profound reform with a positive social and economic impact”. 

Self-employed workers, he said, are an important key of the Cypriot economy, and their access to subsidised training is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses, encourage the acquisition of new knowledge and the adoption of new skills, improve the quality of services in critical sectors and increase overall participation in lifelong learning programmes. 

According to Fellas, the Anad’s goal is to ensure “equal access to knowledge and development” for all businesses and professionals contributing to the country’s economic progress, in a way that had not been possible until now. 

At the same time, he said self-employed workers must be consistent with the obligations arising from the new legal framework if they want to take advantage of the opportunity in practice. 

The key point, he explained, is the payment of the 0.5 per cent fee on insurable earnings, which will be collected by the Social Insurance Services together with other contributions. 

Before applying, Fellas said self-employed workers should confirm that they are registered in the Anad register and that their details, including tax identification or identity information and contact details, are up to date. 

They should also make sure, he added, that they have activated the correct role in the Ermis portal, either “Self-employed” or “Employer”, depending on their case. 

Applications for participation in training programmes must be submitted in time and before the start of training, while interested persons should also check the specific criteria of each scheme, he said. 

For many self-employed professionals, Fellas said the grant is not simply “a discount” on training costs, but an opportunity to invest in skills they would otherwise have difficulty financing on their own. 

He gave the example of an accountant who could join a programme on digital accounting tools or new tax and compliance requirements, upgrading the services offered and saving time through automation. 

Similarly, he said a technician could be trained in new installation techniques or safety standards, reducing errors, improving quality and increasing customer confidence. 

Fellas said programmes of vital importance are also expected to be of particular interest, as the maximum grant per hour is significantly higher. 

In sectors facing shortages of skilled human resources, he said such programmes can act as an accelerator to meet market needs. 

At the same time, he added that the possibility of receiving a grant for training abroad, covering tuition and related expenses, can support self-employed workers who want to bring cutting-edge know-how back to Cyprus. 

This, he said, is especially important in areas such as health, information technology, the green transition and modern construction techniques. 

However, Fellas said the success of the reform will be judged by its implementation. 

As with any major change, he said, informing beneficiaries, familiarising them with electronic procedures and providing proper guidance in completing applications will determine how quickly the 31,000 self-employed workers move from theory to practice. 

He also said the expected increase in demand may increase competition among training providers, leading to a greater variety of topics, better quality programmes and more targeted and effective training. 

At a time when the labour market is constantly changing and small businesses are being called upon to modernise, Fellas said access to subsidised training can function as “a tool for survival and productive growth”. 

By including the self-employed, he said the Anad is broadening the circle of lifelong learning in Cyprus and turning “a chronic inequality into an opportunity”. 

That opportunity, he added, is to upgrade skills, enhance productivity and provide the economy with more resilient human resources.