Migration in Cyprus: Fewer Arrivals, Dispute Over Integration

Migration in Cyprus is expected to cost the ministry's budget less than this year. A budget of €60.2 million is planned for 2027, compared to €74.7 million in 2026. During the parliamentary debate, Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides presented data on the decline in irregular arrivals, and MPs asked about integration, safety, and support for schools.

From the beginning of the year to the budget presentation, approximately 1,500 such arrivals were recorded. During the same period, over 8,600 non-EU citizens left the island. However, MPs emphasized that improving the statistics does not solve the problems of those who remain in the country.

Migration in Cyprus: Fewer Arrivals and More Returns

Ioannides presented the draft budget on Monday, November 9, to the parliamentary finance committee. He reported that sea arrivals have been eliminated and the number of irregular crossings of the Green Line has significantly decreased.

The Deputy Minister spoke again about a 92% decrease in irregular inflows compared to 2022Separately, he reported about 1,500 arrivals since the beginning of 2026, compared to 14,000 in the same period in 2022.

These two figures represent a decline of approximately 89%. The information provided does not clarify the exact range of data from which the 92% figure is based.

Since the beginning of 2026, more than 8,600 third-country nationals have left. Around 40,000 departures concern the entire period of the current government's term in office. This is not the additional 40,000 people who left the island this year.

According to the deputy minister, 75% of returns were voluntary.

Budget reduced by 14.5 million euros

Planned expenditures for the Ministry of Migration and International Protection will decrease from €74.7 million to €60.2 million. This is primarily due to the completion of major construction projects.

The vast majority of next year's budget—€58.1 million—will go to current expenditures. €2.1 million has been earmarked for development.

European funds are expected to cover 90% of the budget, excluding wage costs. Ioannides also announced that approximately €800 million could be allocated to migration issues in the EU's 2028–2034 financial framework. This is an expected allocation, not an amount already disbursed.

Afterword: Integration remains a weak point

The chairwoman of the Finance Committee, Christiana Erotokritou of DIKO, welcomed the results. However, the discussion raised questions beyond the number of arrivals.

Nikoletta Constantinou from DISY pointed out that progress in entry controls does not eliminate the problems associated with who stays in the country and who leaves. She emphasized the sense of security of residents and the need to support schools accepting children with migration experience.

Savvia Orphanidou, also from DISY, asked about the continuing flows across the Green Line and spoke about the concentration of migrants within the walls of old Nicosia.

Aristos Damianou of AKEL emphasized the urgent need to develop integration policies. He identified integration as a crucial stage in which the country still lags behind.

Statements about crime were part of the political debate. The presented material did not provide data to assess its scale among specific groups.

Lower expenses for services and changes in centers

Spending on benefits for asylum seekers is expected to not exceed €13 million in 2026. In 2022, it amounted to €33 million.

The modernization of Pournara and the expansion of the Kofinou center have been completed. The Limnes center is scheduled for handover in November.

At the time of the budget presentation, there were 364 people staying in Pournara and 396 in Kofinou. Residents of the centers receive 100 euros a month for basic needs.

The ministry also provides accommodation for 120 unaccompanied minors, primarily from Syria and Somalia. For 2027, 46 positions in the ministry's administration are planned to be filled.

International protection and legal residence

Ioannides said that around 20,000 people have been granted asylum, and the total number of asylum seekers and beneficiaries is around 30,000. He said that over 90% of asylum applications are rejected.

Residence permits constitute a separate category. There are approximately 200,000 such documents in force in the country. The largest group of holders are Russian citizens; approximately 5,000 permits have been issued to Israeli citizens.

Priorities for next year include continued returns, cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and the development of electronic services. The Ministry also announces integration activities related to learning Greek, acquiring skills, and legal employment.