Cyprus has launched an ambitious recruitment offensive targeting its overseas diaspora, deploying successful business professionals as “ambassadors” to reverse decades of brain drain and compete for skilled workers in an increasingly competitive global talent market.
President Christodoulides announced the “Minds in Cyprus” programme Tuesday alongside enhanced tax incentives and a digital platform designed to lure back qualified Cypriots who left the island for better opportunities abroad.
The Cabinet approved legislation on 24 April 2025 expanding the financial benefits, pending parliamentary approval.
The enhanced tax package increases exemptions from 20% to 25% of employment income, with maximum annual benefits rising from €8,550 to €25,000. The government reduced the required overseas residency period from 15 years to seven years after completion of studies.
Seven-year residency requirement replaces 15-year mandate
Employment criteria gained flexibility under the new framework. Previously, applicants required three consecutive years of overseas employment. The revised system accepts 36 months of foreign work experience within the past five years.
Tax exemptions will continue regardless of employer changes, removing restrictions that previously limited job mobility for returnees. The modifications address long-standing complaints that rigid requirements deterred qualified professionals from returning.
Cyprus streamlined citizenship procedures for spouses and civil partners through the Population and Immigration Department. Healthcare professionals benefit from accelerated registration with professional councils and faster recognition of EU specialist qualifications.
Housing schemes open immediately to returnees from 2026
Starting in early 2026, returnees gain immediate access to Interior Ministry housing schemes, eliminating the current two-year residency requirement. The government expanded private secondary school fee subsidies from €768 to €1,000 annually for returnees’ children, while reducing overseas residency requirements from 10 to seven years.
Educational support includes free or subsidised language training for spouses and children, plus subsidised business adaptation programmes. The maximum number of education subsidy beneficiaries remains capped at 150 students annually.
The government established a “business ambassadors” programme recruiting distinguished overseas Cypriots to promote economic opportunities. Selected ambassadors will operate from a Ministry register, targeting cities with significant Cypriot diaspora populations.
Information campaigns coordinated by the Presidency, Invest Cyprus, and Foreign Ministry will include career days and networking events. The digital platform connects job seekers with employers through dedicated questionnaires, enabling targeted matching of skills and opportunities.
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