Cyprus is updating its migration and asylum systems to match new European Union (EU) rules coming in 2026. The country wants to lead the way before it takes over the presidency of the Council of the EU.
The government plans to follow the European Pact on Migration and Asylum. Parliament is now debating laws that change how the state handles everything from a person’s arrival to their return home.
Deputy Minister Nicholas Ioannides said that Cyprus will focus on making these rules work during its EU presidency. Lawmakers are checking a 240-page bill to ensure national laws match European standards.
Migration overhaul underway
Cyprus’ new proposed law will completely change how the country handles migration and asylum applications. Lawmakers are checking this draft law now.
Aristos Damianou, who leads the government committee on domestic matters, called the draft law a “mammoth task” because it is huge and complex. He noted that it covers four main phases, from when a person arrives in Cyprus until they return home.
The discussion kicked off in late March. Various government teams and human rights groups shared their takes on the law.
Lawmakers will stop work this April, so discussions will pause until after the May elections for new government members.
The draft law is based heavily on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum (a major set of 10 official EU laws passed in May 2024). These new EU rules start in June 2026.
EU pact shapes reforms
Ioannides explained that the EU pact creates a standard system for managing migration. It makes processes faster and encourages member states to support each other.
“Our effort during the Cypriot Presidency will be to ensure its practical application,” he stated.
He noted that the pact sets clearer rules on safe third countries—nations where asylum seekers can live safely. It also helps people find legal ways to move for work.
The EU rules add strict border checks and require states to share the responsibility of hosting asylum seekers. Migrants who do not qualify for protection will face faster returns to their home countries.The new rules also update Eurodac, the EU database that stores fingerprints and biometric data to track asylum claims.
Returns, relocations rise
Cyprus is already controlling migration, and Ioannides’ data shows that more people are being sent back or moved.
Since March 2023, Cyprus has moved over 2,900 asylum seekers to other EU countries.
Ioannides said that moving these people takes pressure off local resources and gives migrants better chances to settle in (integration).
Returns are up too. Almost 11,000 people from non-EU countries left Cyprus in 2024, and nearly 10,000 left in the first nine months of 2025.
Meanwhile, Cyprus rejects around 95% of applications for international protection (like asylum).
Ioannides added that this high rejection rate shows they need to keep the system working for the few people who genuinely need protection.
Infrastructure expansion continues
The government is building more facilities to support the migration system while updating laws.
Workers are finishing a new centre for asylum seekers in Larnaca. They are also building a modern site nearby for people waiting to leave the country.
Ioannides noted that Cyprus tracks human trafficking with European partners to stop crimes and save lives.
He stated that “all measures are being implemented within the framework of EU and international law.”
Integration strategy in progress
Cyprus is also creating a plan to help migrants settle in for the long term.
Ioannides noted that this plan is ready. The public will review it before the Council of Ministers sees it in November.
Data shows that over 150,000 people from outside the EU live in Cyprus for work, school, or family.
Another 30,000 people have applied for or received international protection, which is legal safety for people fleeing danger.
“We are investing in modern infrastructure and a National Integration Strategy that reduces polarisation and empowers those residing legally,” Ioannides said.
Political divisions emerge
Discussions in Parliament show that leaders disagree on how to support vulnerable groups.
Damianou noted that most concerns involve rules for children travelling without parents.
Sotiris Ioannou, an MP for the Elam party, wants tougher rules. He argued that the law affects people who, in his party’s view, “arrived in Cyprus illegally in most cases.”
His party wants the government to decide on asylum applications faster. They also want to stop people from reopening cases that the state has already finished.
Regarding children travelling alone, he said that the state should treat anyone who rejects an age test as an adult.
Ioannou also asked for more oversight of charities and non-profit groups (NGOs). He thinks the state needs to define their work more clearly.
System changes take shape
Cyprus is changing its migration rules to match the EU and prepare for its upcoming leadership role.
Ioannides said that the government will focus on managing migration, protecting borders, and making applications faster.
He also noted that the plan combines legal rules with social unity and European teamwork.
As the debate continues and EU deadlines get closer, the next few months will decide how Cyprus handles migration.