The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Keve) announced on 21 January that the government-backed ‘Minds in Cyprus’ programme will stage three large-scale outreach events in 2026 – New York/San Francisco in March, Athens or Thessaloniki in June, and London in October – to lure highly skilled Cypriots back home.
Since its soft launch in 2025, the platform has logged more than 600 expressions of interest from diaspora professionals. The initiative offers graduated income-tax exemptions of up to 25 per cent (and, in some cases, 50 per cent) for seven to fifteen years, faster citizenship for spouses, and subsidies for children’s schooling. A bill expanding those incentives is now before parliament.
While returning Cypriot nationals will usually travel on EU passports, many bring non-EU family members or colleagues who must navigate Cyprus’ entry and residence formalities. VisaHQ can simplify that process through its Cyprus platform, providing step-by-step application support, document verification and courier services for visas and permits—see https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for full details.
![‘Minds in Cyprus’ talent-repatriation roadshow to target US, UK and Greece]()
Keve says private-sector buy-in is critical: participating employers will showcase vacancies, sponsor relocation packages and provide mentoring on Cyprus’ business environment. Sectors with acute skill shortages – fintech, shipping, clean-tech and life sciences – top the priority list.
The push dovetails with Cyprus’ broader strategy to offset demographic decline and brain drain by tapping its diaspora. Compared with traditional expatriate assignment models, the scheme shifts focus from bringing in foreign specialists to re-attracting nationals who already hold EU passports, reducing work-permit complexity.
HR directors should track the final shape of the tax bill and consider aligning internal mobility policies; employees who left Cyprus in the past seven years could become eligible for substantial tax breaks if they return under employer-sponsored contracts.
Since its soft launch in 2025, the platform has logged more than 600 expressions of interest from diaspora professionals. The initiative offers graduated income-tax exemptions of up to 25 per cent (and, in some cases, 50 per cent) for seven to fifteen years, faster citizenship for spouses, and subsidies for children’s schooling. A bill expanding those incentives is now before parliament.
While returning Cypriot nationals will usually travel on EU passports, many bring non-EU family members or colleagues who must navigate Cyprus’ entry and residence formalities. VisaHQ can simplify that process through its Cyprus platform, providing step-by-step application support, document verification and courier services for visas and permits—see https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for full details.
Keve says private-sector buy-in is critical: participating employers will showcase vacancies, sponsor relocation packages and provide mentoring on Cyprus’ business environment. Sectors with acute skill shortages – fintech, shipping, clean-tech and life sciences – top the priority list.
The push dovetails with Cyprus’ broader strategy to offset demographic decline and brain drain by tapping its diaspora. Compared with traditional expatriate assignment models, the scheme shifts focus from bringing in foreign specialists to re-attracting nationals who already hold EU passports, reducing work-permit complexity.
HR directors should track the final shape of the tax bill and consider aligning internal mobility policies; employees who left Cyprus in the past seven years could become eligible for substantial tax breaks if they return under employer-sponsored contracts.
