175,000 Legal Third-Country Nationals in Cyprus

According to data from the Deputy Ministry of Migration, 175,677 third-country nationals are legally residing in Cyprus. The data was presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance during the examination of the Deputy Ministry's budget for 2026.

The Deputy Minister, Nikolas Ioannidis, stated that most hold work permits, while others are members of international companies, students, or family members of Cypriot and European citizens. A decrease was noted in the number of people with international protection status.

Russians constitute the largest nationality (40,735), followed by nationals of the United Kingdom (16,279), Nepal (15,607), India (14,237), and Syria (12,868).

In addition, 16,000 people are awaiting examination of their application for international protection, and 6,000 have filed an objection after rejection.

Mr. Ioannidis noted that irregular arrivals and applications for international protection have decreased by 89% since 2022, while departures have increased. In 2024, departures amounted to 10,944, and by October 2025, they reached 10,628.

The Deputy Ministry's budget for 2026 amounts to €75.3 million, an increase of €20 million compared to 2025.