Physiotherapist

Last Update on 07/02/2024

Practising as a Physiotherapist

General Information

In order to practice as a physiotherapist in the Republic of Cyprus, one must be entered in the Register of Physiotherapists by the Registrar of the Cyprus Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Establishments Registration Council and obtain a practice licence, to the provisions of “The Registration of Physiotherapists Law of 1989 (140/1989)”, as periodically amended.

The term “practice physiotherapy” means the right of a registered physiotherapist, who holds a licence, to practice physiotherapy.

The term “registered physiotherapist” means a physiotherapist registered to the Register of Physiotherapists.

Physiotherapy is a service provided exclusively by physiotherapists in order to improve, maintain and restore the maximum operational capability from infancy to old age. Specifically, physiotherapy deals with the prevention, improvement and rehabilitation of pathological conditions, congenital or acquired, as well as injuries causing distractions to the skeletal, muscle, nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular system.

Please note that the European Professional Card (EPC) is available for this profession. The EPC is an electronic procedure you can use to have your professional qualifications recognised in another EU country (in this case the 27 EU Member States). It is easier and quicker to manage than traditional qualification recognition procedures, and more transparent. For more information on how to apply click here.

Any natural person shall be entitled to register as a physiotherapist, provided that the Council  is satisfied that the following criteria are met:

(a) is a citizen of the Republic or of a Member State or at the time of application is a spouse or child of a citizen of the Republic who is habitually resident in the Republic;

(b) has not been convicted in the last five years of an offence that involves moral obscenity or lack of honesty;

(c) holds a degree or diploma in physiotherapy awarded by a university or other equivalent educational institution recognised by the Council in accordance with the relevant Council criteria set out in the Third Annex, which are consistent with the current guidelines of the European Union and the World Confederation of Physiotherapy and in particular the European Physiotherapy Benchmark Statement:

In case the applicant meets all the eligibility criteria for registration in the Register of Physiotherapists, but does not meet the criterion of the traineeship, then the Council may ask the applicant to have a six-month traineeship in a public physiotherapy establishment.

Cyprus Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Establishments Registration Council
P.O. Box 16295
2087 Strovolos
Nicosia
Tel.: 22605739, 99533379
Fax: 22254912
Email: info@seff.org.cy, cyprusphysioregistration@cytanet.com.cy
Website: http://seff.org.cy/

  1. Certified copies of supportive documents that must accompany the application for registration:

    a) Certified copy of Birth Certificate or Passport of an EU Member State, Wedding Certificate (in case the applicant is not an EU member state citizen but married to a Cypriot/ an EU member state citizen);

    b) Certified copy of High School Leaving Certificate ;

    c) Certified copy of University Degree/ Diploma;

    d) Certified copy of official Transcript of Academic Records;

    e) Certificate of Professional Traineeship;

    f) Certificate of Clear Criminal Record Certificate;

    g) Certificate of recognition of the professional qualification/Title of Studies by the competent body of the country of origin (concerns Member State Citizens);

    h) Professional License from the Competent Authority of the Member of Origin (certifying the period of professionally exercising the profession (professional experience) concerns for citizens of other Member States);

    i) Certificate of employment from local employer (for EU member state citizens) (copy of Registration Certificate or other proof of residence in the Republic of Cyprus from the Civil Registry and Migration Department (in case the applicant is not an EU member state citizen);

    j) For the purposes of practising physiotherapy in Cyprus, in accordance with the European Directive 2005/36/EC, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of the Greek language (for applicants/citizens from other Member States ). To prove this, a certificate of good knowledge of the Greek language is required (e.g. success certificate in examination of the University of Cyprus or the Cyprus University of Technology);

    h) Copy of the payment receipt of the registration fee.

     

Registration Fee for entering the Physiotherapists’ Register

  • €50 payable to the account of the Cyprus Physiotherapists Registration Council,  when you submit the application for registration for the first time.
  • Payments can be made to the following account:
    • Bank: BANK OF CYPRUS
    • Account name: Cyprus Physiotherapists Registration Council
    • Account Number: 0125-01-028876-00
    • or by card through JCCSMART  (direct link)
  • The payment receipt must accompany the application.

Annual Practice Licence Certificate

  • €35 payable to the account of the Cyprus Physiotherapists Registration Council,
  • Payments can be made to the following account:
    • Bank: BANK OF CYPRUS
    • Account name: Cyprus Physiotherapists Registration Council
    • Account Number: 0125-01-028876-00
    • or by card through JCCSMART  (direct link)
  • The certificate is mailed (by post) to the address stated in the application for registration.

Pancyprian Association of Physiotherapists Membership

The annual practice license should not be confused or associated with your lawful obligation to be a member of the Professional Body mentioned above. It is your responsibility to pay the annual membership fee to the Pancyprian Association of Physiotherapists:

  • €50 payable to the account of the Pancyprian Association of Physiotherapists
  • Payments can be made to the following account:
    • Bank: BANK OF CYPRUS
    • Account name: Pancyprian Association of Physiotherapists
    • Account Number: 0125-01-015154
  • Ask the bank cashier to fill in your name and the purpose of the deposit in the transaction details.

The Council shall certify receipt of the file of the person concerned within one month of such receipt and inform him/her of any missing documents.

The Council adopts a reasoned decision within two months of the submission of the full dossier of the person concerned.

The registration is valid for an unlimited period of time and does not require renewal.

The annual Practice Licence is valid until the 31st of December of the year following its issue.

All fees for the current year should be paid before December 31st of the previous year and according to legislation nobody is excluded from this responsibility, whether he/she is self-employed, employed privately, in the public sector or the semi-public sector.

 

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

A person who is not satisfied by a Council decision may, within twenty (20) days of the date on which the Council’s decision is notified to him/her, challenge that decision by written Administrative Action to the Minister of Health; this provision is regulated in the Health Professionals Registration Councils (Exercise of Hierarchical Administrative Action) Law of 2017.

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative Court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:

I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated.

However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

Please read the “Code of Ethics” in the legislation here.