Paphos police said on Monday it had deported eight people who were found living illegally in the republic.

The deportation took place on the basis of voluntary departure, Paphos’ assistant police chief Michalis Ioannou told the Cyprus News Agency.

He added the group returned to their home country on Friday.

Under the voluntary return Cyprus programme, third-country nationals are eligible for up to €300 cash assistance provided by the Civil Registry and Migration Department. Returnees are also provided with a free return ticket to their home country and pre-departure support (such as a PCR test).

People eligible for voluntary departure are asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers, regular and irregular migrants, families and other vulnerable persons