Cyprus nurses' unions criticize the mass recruitment of foreign staff and warn of risks to care

The Pan-Cypriot Nurses' Union (PASYNO), the Cyprus Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the Pan-Cypriot Association of Nurses and Midwives (PASYNM) issued a joint statement condemning proposals that, in their view, lead to the "commercialization" of the nursing profession in Cyprus.

The statement notes that nurses and midwives are "indispensable" staff in the healthcare system, and that treating them as a "cost" or a "production unit" is unacceptable, as it undermines patient care quality.
The unions demand that recruitment from abroad occurs only after full verification of professional skills and proficiency in Greek. They warn that "hasty" mass hires from third countries will discourage Cypriot youth from the profession; according to their data, over the last two years, primary enrollments in nursing programs have more than doubled.

There is also a demand for strict capacity planning and ensuring adequate staffing before granting licenses to new or expanding clinics. Separately, the unions and PASYDY departments for general and psychiatric nursing staff highlighted the risk to patient safety when hiring staff without language knowledge and called on the government to take measures to retain and improve working conditions for local nurses.

For residents of Cyprus, this means that stricter requirements for foreign candidates and initiatives to improve working conditions and collective agreements in nursing care may be discussed in the near future.