The Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection opened the New-Year news cycle with a data-rich snapshot of Cyprus’ migration landscape. As of 31 December 2025, exactly 169,844 third-country nationals held valid residence permits—around 18 % of the island’s total population. Russians (40,583) and Britons (15,395) remain the two largest expatriate cohorts, followed by Ukrainians and Filipinos.
Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides attributed the numbers to a three-pronged strategy: faster asylum decisions, hefty voluntary-return incentives and stepped-up patrols along the UN-monitored Green Line. The result, officials say, is an 86 % drop in irregular land and sea arrivals compared with the migrant-crisis peak of early 2022. The notorious Pournara reception centre—which once housed more than 1,800 people—now hosts just 251.
![Cyprus Ends 2025 With 169,844 Foreign Residents as Irregular Arrivals Plunge 86 %]()
Whether you’re a foreign professional, an HR manager or a relocation adviser, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Its specialised Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lists current visa categories, residence-permit requirements and processing times, providing step-by-step guidance and live application tracking to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
For multinational employers the leaner asylum backlog translates into quicker work-permit issuance and renewal, a competitive edge for Cyprus’ booming ICT, financial-services and hospitality sectors. HR teams are nevertheless being cautioned to double-check that job titles on permits match actual duties: labour inspectors have flagged mis-classification as a 2026 audit priority.
Ioannides also pitched the improved statistics as leverage for Cyprus’ bid to join the Schengen area during its current EU Council presidency. Brussels is expected to scrutinise asylum backlogs and Green-Line controls later this year; language-integration benchmarks or sectoral quota tweaks could follow. Mobility teams should therefore begin permit-renewal processes at least 60 days before expiry and watch for public consultations on a proposed Greek-language requirement for long-term residency.
Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides attributed the numbers to a three-pronged strategy: faster asylum decisions, hefty voluntary-return incentives and stepped-up patrols along the UN-monitored Green Line. The result, officials say, is an 86 % drop in irregular land and sea arrivals compared with the migrant-crisis peak of early 2022. The notorious Pournara reception centre—which once housed more than 1,800 people—now hosts just 251.
Whether you’re a foreign professional, an HR manager or a relocation adviser, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Its specialised Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lists current visa categories, residence-permit requirements and processing times, providing step-by-step guidance and live application tracking to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
For multinational employers the leaner asylum backlog translates into quicker work-permit issuance and renewal, a competitive edge for Cyprus’ booming ICT, financial-services and hospitality sectors. HR teams are nevertheless being cautioned to double-check that job titles on permits match actual duties: labour inspectors have flagged mis-classification as a 2026 audit priority.
Ioannides also pitched the improved statistics as leverage for Cyprus’ bid to join the Schengen area during its current EU Council presidency. Brussels is expected to scrutinise asylum backlogs and Green-Line controls later this year; language-integration benchmarks or sectoral quota tweaks could follow. Mobility teams should therefore begin permit-renewal processes at least 60 days before expiry and watch for public consultations on a proposed Greek-language requirement for long-term residency.
