Speaking at the Cyprus Forum on February 6, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Dr Nicholas Ioannides revealed that more than 150,000 non-EU nationals now live legally in Cyprus for work, study or family reasons, while a further 30,000 people hold asylum or international-protection status.
Ioannides said the figure – roughly 16 per cent of the island’s total population – underscores how quickly Cyprus has become a magnet for global talent and labour, especially in fast-growing sectors such as ICT, shipping and hospitality. 11,000 third-country nationals departed voluntarily or through assisted-return programmes in 2024, but inflows continue to outpace outflows as the economy expands and unemployment remains below 5 per cent.
Whether you are a student weighing study options, a software engineer eyeing a move to Limassol, or an HR director relocating an entire team, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides step-by-step guidance on visas, residence permits and document legalisation, helping applicants upload the correct forms and track progress online—saving time and reducing the risk of costly errors.
![Cyprus counts 150,000 legal third-country residents and puts integration strategy on fast-track]()
The Deputy Minister confirmed that a new National Integration Strategy has been finalised and will enter public consultation “well before the summer”, with Cabinet approval targeted for November. Key measures include an electronic residence-permit portal that will let employers track application status in real time, language-training vouchers co-funded by ERASMUS+, and a pilot skills-recognition scheme so that arriving engineers, nurses and IT professionals can obtain licences in weeks rather than months.
For multinationals relocating staff to Cyprus, the announcement offers greater predictability: faster processing times, clearer pathways for family reunification and the prospect of EU-wide skills recognition once Cyprus completes its Schengen and EU-digital-identity projects. Companies are advised to audit existing payroll and HR files now, ensuring that work-permit holders meet the new integration-programme participation rules expected to take effect in early 2027.
Ioannides also stressed that integration is “a strategic priority” of the country’s EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2026. Officials in Nicosia hope to use that platform to secure additional EU funding for migrant reception facilities and to push for common standards on the recognition of ‘safe third countries’, which could ultimately shorten asylum procedures and free up resources for legal labour-migration channels.
Ioannides said the figure – roughly 16 per cent of the island’s total population – underscores how quickly Cyprus has become a magnet for global talent and labour, especially in fast-growing sectors such as ICT, shipping and hospitality. 11,000 third-country nationals departed voluntarily or through assisted-return programmes in 2024, but inflows continue to outpace outflows as the economy expands and unemployment remains below 5 per cent.
Whether you are a student weighing study options, a software engineer eyeing a move to Limassol, or an HR director relocating an entire team, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. Its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides step-by-step guidance on visas, residence permits and document legalisation, helping applicants upload the correct forms and track progress online—saving time and reducing the risk of costly errors.
The Deputy Minister confirmed that a new National Integration Strategy has been finalised and will enter public consultation “well before the summer”, with Cabinet approval targeted for November. Key measures include an electronic residence-permit portal that will let employers track application status in real time, language-training vouchers co-funded by ERASMUS+, and a pilot skills-recognition scheme so that arriving engineers, nurses and IT professionals can obtain licences in weeks rather than months.
For multinationals relocating staff to Cyprus, the announcement offers greater predictability: faster processing times, clearer pathways for family reunification and the prospect of EU-wide skills recognition once Cyprus completes its Schengen and EU-digital-identity projects. Companies are advised to audit existing payroll and HR files now, ensuring that work-permit holders meet the new integration-programme participation rules expected to take effect in early 2027.
Ioannides also stressed that integration is “a strategic priority” of the country’s EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2026. Officials in Nicosia hope to use that platform to secure additional EU funding for migrant reception facilities and to push for common standards on the recognition of ‘safe third countries’, which could ultimately shorten asylum procedures and free up resources for legal labour-migration channels.
