Cyprus work permit

I have been getting the calls from friends of Nepal to know the work permit status of the republic of Cyprus. I have been answering them about the current situation of students in the Cyprus, but I just felt that I should to inform all the students who wish to come to Cyprus for study. Students who come in Cyprus wishes to have work permit of 20 hours a week as other European countries.
Cyprus tried to enter to the EU in 2002, but due to problem with Turkish Cyprus they were not able to become member of the EU. In 2004, with the effort of Kofi Annan, they were able to come to some negotiation and the republic of Cyprus became the full member of EU in April 1 2004. They were then given the time to follow up the rules and regulation of EU by 4 years, which would include the work permit to foreign students as well. They were providing the work permit to the hotel management students in the summer time as the one the job training. They are getting the payment of 2 Cypriot pound per hour as their wages. They are allowed to work for 4 months as on the job training. To the other faculty student it is strictly prohibited to work, and they even have to sign the contract that they will not work in Cyprus when they apply for Pink slip (a permit to stay in Cyprus).
Since students are protesting against government for allowance of the work permit to student, government was trying to solve this problem from long. Then lots of rumors were heard about providing of work permit to the students. Some colleges even provided the paper of work permit to student during 2006, but later on they were proved as fake. Lots of college representative who visit to other countries to gather the students used to say that, students will be given the work permit within the 6 months of entrance of Cyprus and will be paid minimum of 3 pounds per hour (equivalent to $6.5). After that period also lots of rumors were heard in Cyprus about the work permit. The agencies continued to fool the student about the work permit and send them over Cyprus to get the commission from the colleges.
During the Christmas of 2007, Cyprus government published news that they have issued the work permit to the student in the news. They stated that students will be given the 20 hours of work permit in normal days and will be given work permit of 35 hours in the summer and holidays time. They even stated that this is a great Christmas gift to the foreign students. Even had a rule that if the student is found working before 6 moths of time of entrance to Cyprus they will be penalized and deported. So foreign students felt bit or relief from this news but when then went and ask for work permit to colleges they said that it will be given after January only. Students waited for January and now colleges are saying that it’s not certain when they will get work permit in Cyprus.
So as before, though the Cypriot government has printed in the paper and said in news, this work permit in the Cyprus is still a hot rumor going around. Well this rumor has helped the agencies to gather more commission from students.
So the fact is work permit to the students has not been issued to the foreign students and minimum wages for students are not fixed yet. It is not even fixed, when work permit will be given to the students. They have been changing their currencies to Euro but work permit has not been issued. Due to the EURO everything in the Cyprus is getting expensive and some people are getting great chances to cheat well.