Cyprus plans to tighten its investor residence scheme and is reviewing past permits

According to the Cyprus Mail on 24 September 2026, Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides told the House audit committee that day that Cyprus will tighten its investor residence scheme ahead of its planned entry into the Schengen area. Ioannides said the country needs investment, but it must take place in a controlled manner.

The paper reports that around 1,500 such permits have been issued over the past two years, and that around 12,000 permits issued since 2013 are being scrutinised to establish whether their holders still meet the scheme's requirements. The government is also examining whether investment could be channelled towards education, defence and innovation. Around 200,000 valid residence permits for third-country nationals are currently in force in Cyprus. A new information system is being developed to track third-country nationals from entry to departure. MP Odysseas Michaelides noted at the committee that the scheme was contributing to pressure on the housing market.