Newsroom
Migration is often discussed in numbers, but for people living in Cyprus it reaches much closer to home: whether public services can cope, whether businesses can find workers and whether newcomers become part of society or remain pushed to its edges.
Speaking at the Cyprus Forum in Nicosia on Tuesday, Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides said the EU’s new Migration and Asylum Pact could help Cyprus, but warned that rules on paper will mean little unless other member states provide real and timely support.
Cyprus has been officially recognised by the European Commission as a country under migratory pressure, giving it access to the EU’s new solidarity system. The government has chosen relocations as its preferred form of assistance, meaning eligible people could be transferred from Cyprus to other EU countries.
For a small island with limited reception facilities, that could ease pressure on the asylum system. Ioannides argued that Cyprus’ size, ongoing occupation and limited infrastructure mean arrivals must remain at manageable levels if the country is to properly protect those who genuinely need asylum.
But the government is also trying to address another reality: many people arriving irregularly are actually looking for work.
According to Ioannides, more than 80% of asylum applications in Cyprus are rejected as unfounded. His argument is that people seeking employment should have a legal route to come here rather than entering the asylum system.
Cyprus signed a labour mobility agreement with Egypt in 2024 and is now finalising a similar deal with India. If properly managed, such agreements could help businesses struggling to recruit staff while allowing workers to arrive with permits, contracts and clearly defined rights.
There are risks, however. Without inspections, foreign workers could be exploited, underpaid or used to push down working conditions. Poor integration could also place greater strain on communities and contribute to racism, isolation and the creation of ghettos.
Ioannides said employers must be monitored and migrants must follow the conditions of their permits. He also pointed to Cyprus’ first National Integration Strategy, approved in February, which includes language lessons, vocational training and education about the country’s institutions and culture.
Returns will remain another major part of the policy. More than 75% of returns from Cyprus are voluntary, according to the deputy minister, although forced removals remain an option for those who have no legal right to stay.
For Cyprus, the potential benefit is clear: fewer people trapped in an overloaded asylum system, more legal workers where they are genuinely needed and greater support from Europe.
The danger is equally clear. If EU solidarity is slow, employers are not properly checked and integration remains something discussed mainly at conferences, Cyprus could be left carrying the pressure while the promised solutions stay on paper.
