Cyprus’ Aliens & Immigration Service has revealed that 11,500 third-country nationals who were residing irregularly on the island were returned to their countries of origin during 2025. Police statistics published on 20 December show the country has increased returns by 53 % since 2022, when 7,506 people were repatriated. The bulk of the departures took place under a combination of voluntary-return schemes financed by EU funds and forced-return operations coordinated with Frontex, the EU’s border agency. In 2025 alone, Cyprus participated in 19 joint Frontex flights that removed more than 150 foreign nationals.
The push to accelerate returns is part of a broader strategy launched by the Deputy Ministry of Migration & International Protection to ease pressure on Cyprus’ overcrowded reception system. Although new asylum applications fell sharply—down 86 % to around 2,400 in 2025—Cyprus still processes the highest number of applicants per capita in the EU. Officials credit last year’s fast-track asylum law, stepped-up patrols along the Green Line, and bilateral readmission agreements with Lebanon and Nigeria for the decline in arrivals. At the same time, EU funding has allowed the government to boost the one-off cash incentive for voluntary return from €1,000 to €1,500, making the option more attractive to migrants whose claims are likely to be rejected.
Whether you are an employer looking to regularise staff or a traveller planning an extended stay, VisaHQ can help you stay compliant with Cyprus’ fast-moving immigration rules. The company’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides real-time visa requirements, application support, courier submission and status tracking, streamlining everything from short-term visitor visas to the new Single Permit for non-EU workers.
![Cyprus ramps up migrant returns: 11,500 people repatriated in 2025, up 53 % in three years]()
For businesses that rely on foreign labour, the data highlight a tightening environment. Employers who continue to hire undocumented workers face stiffer fines—up to €30,000 per incident—and repeat infractions can now lead to the loss of operating licences. Immigration lawyers report a spike in companies seeking legitimate work-permit channels, particularly the one-month fast-track scheme introduced in February. HR managers are being advised to audit staff records and ensure every non-EU employee’s residence permit is valid beyond 31 January 2026, when the next round of workplace inspections is scheduled.
The government argues that higher return numbers will free up resources for genuine refugees and speed up the country’s bid to join the Schengen Area in 2026. EU evaluators are expected in the spring to assess border-management readiness; demonstrating control over irregular migration is seen as politically essential. Critics, however, caution that the focus on removals should not eclipse integration programmes for the 92,000 documented third-country nationals who legally live and work in Cyprus.
Practically speaking, travellers and expatriate employers should prepare for more intensive identity checks at ports of entry as authorities attempt to stop rejected applicants from re-entering. Companies planning intra-EU postings may also benefit from the country’s new Single Permit processing window, which now averages 28 days. With further reforms—such as electronic residence cards—slated for mid-2026, mobility stakeholders are watching Cyprus closely as it recalibrates its migration model.
The push to accelerate returns is part of a broader strategy launched by the Deputy Ministry of Migration & International Protection to ease pressure on Cyprus’ overcrowded reception system. Although new asylum applications fell sharply—down 86 % to around 2,400 in 2025—Cyprus still processes the highest number of applicants per capita in the EU. Officials credit last year’s fast-track asylum law, stepped-up patrols along the Green Line, and bilateral readmission agreements with Lebanon and Nigeria for the decline in arrivals. At the same time, EU funding has allowed the government to boost the one-off cash incentive for voluntary return from €1,000 to €1,500, making the option more attractive to migrants whose claims are likely to be rejected.
Whether you are an employer looking to regularise staff or a traveller planning an extended stay, VisaHQ can help you stay compliant with Cyprus’ fast-moving immigration rules. The company’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides real-time visa requirements, application support, courier submission and status tracking, streamlining everything from short-term visitor visas to the new Single Permit for non-EU workers.
For businesses that rely on foreign labour, the data highlight a tightening environment. Employers who continue to hire undocumented workers face stiffer fines—up to €30,000 per incident—and repeat infractions can now lead to the loss of operating licences. Immigration lawyers report a spike in companies seeking legitimate work-permit channels, particularly the one-month fast-track scheme introduced in February. HR managers are being advised to audit staff records and ensure every non-EU employee’s residence permit is valid beyond 31 January 2026, when the next round of workplace inspections is scheduled.
The government argues that higher return numbers will free up resources for genuine refugees and speed up the country’s bid to join the Schengen Area in 2026. EU evaluators are expected in the spring to assess border-management readiness; demonstrating control over irregular migration is seen as politically essential. Critics, however, caution that the focus on removals should not eclipse integration programmes for the 92,000 documented third-country nationals who legally live and work in Cyprus.
Practically speaking, travellers and expatriate employers should prepare for more intensive identity checks at ports of entry as authorities attempt to stop rejected applicants from re-entering. Companies planning intra-EU postings may also benefit from the country’s new Single Permit processing window, which now averages 28 days. With further reforms—such as electronic residence cards—slated for mid-2026, mobility stakeholders are watching Cyprus closely as it recalibrates its migration model.
