A number of Syrian nationals have already left Cyprus to return to a post-Assad state, raising local concerns over the impact a flood of returns may have on the country’s construction industry, manned largely by Syrians.

Deputy minister for migration Nicholas Ioannides has said there is a voluntary returns option funded with €1,500 per person by the EU, however it has not yet been rolled out.

According to Andreas Georgiades, head of the asylum service, there have been around 70 applications of Syrians either withdrawing their asylum applications or seeking to be stripped of their subsidiary protection status.

Speaking to AlphaNews he said “we do not have a clear picture” of how many have left Cyprus, as individuals could go via Lebanon – which may be the more obvious choice – but even through other countries, it is hard to track.

A majority of those who have left or are seeking to leave have been in Cyprus for two to three years, Georgiades clarified.

He said once the voluntary returns scheme is ready, Syrian nationals will have to show proof of their ticket and will receive the €1,500 in the departure lounge of Cyprus’ airports and only then.

Those living in Cyprus illegally that want to go back to Syria can also go to the asylum service for assistance, according to Georgiades.

“A large number of Syrians are waiting to see the new government, the first few days and reactions so that they see if the new leader puts into practise his promises for peace and stability.”

Once they observe the new status quo, they may be in a better position to decide, he said.
A majority of individuals have subsidiary protection and can travel “to whichever country allows them to go there.”

Where unaccompanied minors are concerned, separate procedures are underway, as many of the children seek to go back to Syria to reunite with their families.

The secretary general of the Cyprus chamber of commerce Marios Tsiakkis said they were closely monitoring the situation.

“Any instability in a country close to us intensifies and exacerbates the climate of uncertainty in an already charged region,” he said.

“We are closely monitoring the development of the issue of Syrian nationals living and working in Cyprus, whether they are asylum seekers or have permanent residence status, in relation to how their stay in Cyprus will be affected by developments in their country.”

The business world in particular is watching the wave of Syrians across Europe returning to their native country, and are watching to see what the effect and outcome will be in Cyprus, Tsiakkis said.

“It is a fact that there is a large number of Syrians in Cyprus who are in the labour market, mainly in the construction sector.”

Should many Syrians leave the country this will create a gap “which we will immediately have to fill, given that there is already a shortage of human resources.”

If there is a “mass exodus” of Syrians then the government will have to try and attract third-country nationals to fill the gap, he added.

Figures by the UNHCR in Cyprus show that since 2004, a total of 14,297 Syrian individuals received subsidiary protection.

This year alone, particularly after the government suspended processing asylum applications only from Syrian nationals, there are 14,205 pending applications up until October.