Cyprus has taken a major step toward a "returns-first" migration strategy by signing an implementation agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to set up the island’s first Assisted Voluntary Returns Hub (AVR HUB) in Nicosia. The CHF 1.05 million (≈ €1.1 million) project is financed entirely through Switzerland’s Second Contribution to the EU Migration Fund and was formally endorsed on 4 December by senior officials from the Finance Ministry, the Deputy Ministry of Migration & International Protection and the IOM mission in Cyprus.
Under the scheme, a 40-bed facility will be rented and refurbished to prepare vulnerable asylum-seekers—especially families, unaccompanied minors and people with medical needs—for a dignified return to their country of origin. Services will include individual counselling, medical screening, travel logistics and post-arrival reintegration support, delivered by multilingual IOM case-workers. Authorities expect the hub to be operational by mid-2026, relieving pressure on overstretched reception centres such as Pournara and Kofinou.
![Cyprus & IOM to open €1.1 million Assisted Voluntary Returns Hub in Nicosia]()
The agreement comes as Cyprus continues to record one of the EU’s highest per-capita asylum rates. Officials say 3,600 voluntary or forced returns were completed in the first three quarters of 2025—an 89 % jump on 2022—thanks to closer cooperation with Frontex and origin-country embassies. The dedicated hub is meant to institutionalise that momentum and answer NGO criticism that previous returns were handled piecemeal by police units without specialised support.
For employers, the project signals tighter enforcement. Companies that hire third-country nationals will need to double-check visa validity; overstayers are more likely to be channelled through the new hub. Mobility managers should brief staff on legal options and departure timelines, particularly when temporary contracts end. Businesses looking to bolster corporate-social-responsibility credentials may also partner with IOM on skills-training modules for returnees.
The Swiss-funded facility dovetails with Cyprus’ preparations for its EU Council Presidency in 2026, when migration and Schengen accession will dominate the agenda. Officials hope that demonstrating humane, EU-aligned return procedures will strengthen Cyprus’ case for eventually joining the Schengen Area.
Under the scheme, a 40-bed facility will be rented and refurbished to prepare vulnerable asylum-seekers—especially families, unaccompanied minors and people with medical needs—for a dignified return to their country of origin. Services will include individual counselling, medical screening, travel logistics and post-arrival reintegration support, delivered by multilingual IOM case-workers. Authorities expect the hub to be operational by mid-2026, relieving pressure on overstretched reception centres such as Pournara and Kofinou.
The agreement comes as Cyprus continues to record one of the EU’s highest per-capita asylum rates. Officials say 3,600 voluntary or forced returns were completed in the first three quarters of 2025—an 89 % jump on 2022—thanks to closer cooperation with Frontex and origin-country embassies. The dedicated hub is meant to institutionalise that momentum and answer NGO criticism that previous returns were handled piecemeal by police units without specialised support.
For employers, the project signals tighter enforcement. Companies that hire third-country nationals will need to double-check visa validity; overstayers are more likely to be channelled through the new hub. Mobility managers should brief staff on legal options and departure timelines, particularly when temporary contracts end. Businesses looking to bolster corporate-social-responsibility credentials may also partner with IOM on skills-training modules for returnees.
The Swiss-funded facility dovetails with Cyprus’ preparations for its EU Council Presidency in 2026, when migration and Schengen accession will dominate the agenda. Officials hope that demonstrating humane, EU-aligned return procedures will strengthen Cyprus’ case for eventually joining the Schengen Area.
