Cyprus recorded zero EU Blue Card authorisations for highly skilled non-EU workers in 2024, marking a notable absence in skilled migration data. According to Eurostat’s latest report on migration and asylum trends across the European Union, this statistic places Cyprus among the EU member states with no intake under the scheme.
The EU Blue Card is a combined work and residence permit aimed at attracting qualified professionals from outside the EU to address labour shortages in various sectors. In stark contrast to Cyprus, the overall figures for the EU reveal that approximately 78,100 highly qualified non-EU workers were granted EU Blue Cards in 2024. Germany emerged as the leading country, issuing 56,300 permits, which accounts for a staggering 72% of the total.
Poland followed Germany, providing 5,900 Blue Cards, while Hungary and France issued 2,900 and 2,800 permits, respectively. The most significant beneficiaries of these permits were Indian nationals, who received 16,300 cards, making up 21% of the total issued in the EU. Russian citizens were next, with 6,700 permits, followed by Turkish nationals at 5,600 and Chinese citizens at 4,600.
While skilled migration under the EU Blue Card scheme remained absent for Cyprus, the country did see a rise in study authorisations. In 2024, the number of permits issued for study and research purposes reached 3,512, a significant increase from 2,810 in 2023. This growth indicates a continued effort by Cyprus to attract international students and researchers, albeit not skilled workers through the Blue Card system.
In a broader context, the EU as a whole issued 475,000 authorisations for study and research in 2024. Germany was again the leader, granting 131,000 permits, which represented 28% of the total, while France issued 118,000, accounting for 25%. Indian students were the largest group, receiving 53,000 authorisations, followed by Chinese nationals with 44,000 and Moroccan citizens with 23,000.
In addition to the lack of Blue Card authorisations, Cyprus also recorded zero intracorporate transferee permits in 2024, underscoring a broader trend of limited skilled migration into the country. Eurostat’s data highlights the challenges Cyprus faces in attracting foreign talent through established migration channels.
The Eurostat report also features an interactive data tool that allows users to explore and compare migration and asylum indicators at both the EU and national levels. This tool provides visualisations and concise summaries to facilitate the analysis of migration patterns and policy developments across Europe.
