The Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection kicked off the new year by publishing end-2025 migration statistics that paint a radically different picture from the crisis years of 2021-22. As of 31 December, 169,844 third-country nationals held valid residence permits – equivalent to roughly 18 % of Cyprus’ population. Russians (40,583) and Britons (15,395) remain the two largest expatriate blocs, followed by Ukrainians and Filipinos.
Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides credited a ‘three-pillar’ strategy: accelerated asylum adjudication (average decisions now issued within 30 days), expanded voluntary-return incentives of up to €1,500 per person and intensified patrols along the UN-monitored Green Line. Combined, the measures cut irregular sea and land arrivals by 86 % compared with the first half of 2022 and slashed the backlog of pending asylum files by 26.5 % year-on-year.
![Cyprus Ends 2025 with 169,844 Foreign Residents as Irregular Arrivals Plunge 86 %]()
In this evolving context, visa-support platforms such as VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) can be invaluable, offering step-by-step guidance for work-permit, digital-nomad and family-reunification applications while keeping users abreast of Cyprus’ latest policy updates. Their online dashboards allow HR teams to track submissions in real time, reducing the administrative drag that often accompanies cross-border moves.
Employers have welcomed the data, noting that work-permit processing times for skilled staff and digital-nomad applicants have fallen to six weeks. However, the ministry signalled that labour-market testing for low-skill roles will tighten in 2026, nudging companies toward intra-EU hires or automation in hospitality and agriculture.
For global-mobility teams, the numbers suggest a more predictable permitting environment but also underscore the need to monitor upcoming rule-changes that could limit recruitment from third countries. HR departments are advised to audit assignment timelines and ensure biometric enrolments are scheduled well before the EU Entry/Exit System goes live in October 2026.
Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides credited a ‘three-pillar’ strategy: accelerated asylum adjudication (average decisions now issued within 30 days), expanded voluntary-return incentives of up to €1,500 per person and intensified patrols along the UN-monitored Green Line. Combined, the measures cut irregular sea and land arrivals by 86 % compared with the first half of 2022 and slashed the backlog of pending asylum files by 26.5 % year-on-year.
In this evolving context, visa-support platforms such as VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) can be invaluable, offering step-by-step guidance for work-permit, digital-nomad and family-reunification applications while keeping users abreast of Cyprus’ latest policy updates. Their online dashboards allow HR teams to track submissions in real time, reducing the administrative drag that often accompanies cross-border moves.
Employers have welcomed the data, noting that work-permit processing times for skilled staff and digital-nomad applicants have fallen to six weeks. However, the ministry signalled that labour-market testing for low-skill roles will tighten in 2026, nudging companies toward intra-EU hires or automation in hospitality and agriculture.
For global-mobility teams, the numbers suggest a more predictable permitting environment but also underscore the need to monitor upcoming rule-changes that could limit recruitment from third countries. HR departments are advised to audit assignment timelines and ensure biometric enrolments are scheduled well before the EU Entry/Exit System goes live in October 2026.
