Faced with acute labour shortages but also a growing economy, Cyprus is stepping up efforts to turn brain drain into brain gain, rolling out new tax breaks, family support schemes and a digital platform aimed at bringing back professionals from abroad.

At the opening of the World Conference of the Cypriot Diaspora in Nicosia, President Nikos Christodoulides praised expatriates for their role abroad, emphasising that reunification remains the government’s top priority. Eight Cypriots were also honoured for their contribution to the homeland.

Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki, meanwhile, outlined the progress of the Minds in Cyprus initiative since its launch in London earlier this year, saying it is intended to connect people, ideas and opportunities and depends on the active participation of the diaspora.

A key pillar of the initiative is the expansion of tax incentives. In fact, the exemption has been raised from 20 to 25 per cent of an employee’s salary, while the cap has been lifted from €8,550 to €25,000.

At the same time, the qualifying period abroad has been cut from 15 years to seven, with greater flexibility in employment history requirements.

Instead of three consecutive years abroad, Cypriots will now qualify if they have worked outside the republic for 36 months in the past five years.

Importantly, the exemption also continues to apply even if the professional changes employer. The council of ministers approved the measure in April, and parliamentary approval is still pending .

While tax is an important driver, officials have also prioritised family reintegration. Spouses and partners of returnees will be able to acquire citizenship more quickly, while the previous two-year residence requirement for housing schemes will be scrapped.

For children, the annual grant for private secondary schooling has risen from €768 to €1,000, while the condition of ten consecutive years abroad has been eased to seven. Up to 150 students are expected to qualify each year.

The Ministry of Education is also expanding free or subsidised Greek language education through adult education centres and state institutes, making lessons available not only to returnees but also their spouses and children.

In parallel, subsidised in-house workplace training will help professionals adapt more smoothly to Cypriot work culture.

Officials said these measures are designed to make the return process “simpler and more humane.”

Employment opportunities remain at the heart of the plan. A digital tool launched by the Labour Ministry  this summer already matches professionals to vacancies, while a fully fledged job-matching platform is due to be operational in September.

In addition, the redesigned portal mindsincyprus.com has become a one-stop reference point. It offers an ‘Opportunities for Talent’ area where professionals complete a questionnaire to be matched with jobs, an Information Hub with guidance on healthcare, education, housing and public services, an events section listing conferences and career days, and a parallel portal for employers to submit highly skilled vacancies.

“It offers job opportunities for professionals, access for businesses to Cypriot talent, useful information on repatriation, updates on events and new initiatives,” Invest Cyprus CEO Marios Tannousis told CBN.

He said it also provides “a communication channel for questions and suggestions” and would be “continuously updated with new content and valuable information.”

In his words, the portal will serve as “a dynamic link with the diaspora and a point of reference for all Cypriots who wish to return or reconnect with Cyprus.”

The range of jobs already listed shows both the scale and the diversity of demand. Salaries start at around €2,000 per month and reach more than €110,000 a year.

Among them are education and construction posts such as a Primary Librarian at The Island Private School (€2,000–€2,700) and a Civil Engineer at Vert Et Blanc Constructions (€2,000–€2,500).

In corporate and technology services, Abacus is seeking an International Corporate Services Manager (€40,000–€45,000), JCC Payment Systems a Database Administrator (€50,000–€60,000), and Intergo Telecom an R&D Engineer (€18,000–€35,000).

In shipping, Columbia Group has advertised senior roles, including a Technical Superintendent with compensation between €110,000 and €115,000, and an ERP System Analyst (€30,000–€70,000).

Cyfield Construction has also listed Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager positions, both starting at €35,000.

Beyond jobs and incentives, the initiative also foresees a global outreach campaign.

Information sessions and career days will be organised in cities with large Cypriot communities, while ‘Business Ambassadors’ from the diaspora will be appointed to promote their sectors and strengthen links with Cyprus.

Diplomatic missions and federations of Cypriot expatriates will help spread the word, ensuring the initiative reaches Cypriots across the world .

Reactions from the business community have been cautiously positive. Philokypros Roussounides, secretary general of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce (Keve), confirmed that there is “relative interest” from companies in supporting the scheme.

“We have duly informed our members, since the event that took place in UK was co-organised exclusively by the Presidency of the Republic, Invest Cyprus and the Keve,” he mentioned at InBusinessNews.

He added that “there is, I repeat, interest, both from businesses and from Cypriots living abroad and wishing to repatriate.”

However, he acknowledged the difficulties. “This is not an easy undertaking,” he noted, “because other parameters besides the offer of good jobs enter the equation, such as the personal situation of each person who would like to return to Cyprus and in particular some special situations that may not allow them to immediately move to our country.”

Even so, he stressed that the initiative had strong potential if maintained over time.

“We certainly welcome the fact that such an institution has been inaugurated, which we hope will continue in the coming years,” he said, explaining that the aim was to create a culture in which “very high-level Cypriot professionals who excel abroad or others who have acquired experience abroad and would like to transfer it to our country can return to their homeland with specific incentives.”

Rousounides stressed that the initiative had strong potential if maintained over time.

“We certainly welcome the fact that such an institution has been inaugurated, which we hope will continue in the coming years, so as to create a culture that very high-level Cypriot professionals who excel abroad or others who have acquired experience abroad and would like to transfer it to our country can return to their homeland with specific incentives,” he said.

“The beginning has been made, the first information has been provided, the state, but also we as an institution, have shown the will, the conviction and the will to try to do everything possible and to the best of our abilities,” he continued.

“So that we can, especially now that there is a great shortage of human resources, bring in worthy Cypriots who can flourish in the professional sector in our country and of course this will have a direct impact on the Cypriot economy,” Rousounides concluded.

The project has been gaining ground as Tannousis called it “the beginning of a coordinated national effort,” recalling that the London launch in May exceeded expectations, with more than 750 participants in person, over 2,200 online, and over 20 Cypriot companies and Centres of Excellence strongly represented.

“Through Minds in Cyprus, the country invests in the knowledge, experience, and creativity of its people,” he said. Invest Cyprus, he added, had been supporting the initiative “from the very beginning,” standing behind a vision that aims to harness Cypriot talent on a global scale.

This comes at a time when Cyprus continues to post growth rates above the EU average, with unemployment at historic lows and momentum building in technology, innovation and research.

Piki stressed that the diaspora’s contribution will be crucial in ensuring this transformation succeeds. “Cyprus is on a path of change,” she said, “and the diaspora can help turn this perspective into reality.”