Cyprus Police Tighten Immigration Controls Amid Rise in Migrant Arrivals

The Cyprus Police are ramping up efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, as increasing numbers of people leave Lebanon and head to the island in search of work.

The Immigration and Aliens Service has received reports that some migrants were found carrying documents listing specific employers—restaurants, hotels, taverns, and farms—suggesting they intended to begin working immediately upon arrival.

Officials believe the rise in migrant arrivals is not coincidental. Many of the documents include the names and addresses of businesses where the migrants expected to be employed. Sources in Lebanon have confirmed that many of those intercepted at sea clearly state Cyprus is their intended destination, and that they are coming to work—not to seek asylum or flee conflict.

As a result, the Chief of Police has ordered increased inspections of businesses that may be employing undocumented workers. The plan is to arrest anyone working without proper documentation and to report employers who facilitate such employment.

This follows a large-scale operation carried out across the island over the weekend, during which police identified 51 undocumented migrants. Most were from Syria, with others from various Asian countries. All were found to be residing in Cyprus illegally. Authorities are now taking steps to deport them.

Police have stated that such checks will become more frequent in the near future. Joint operations with the Deputy Minister of Migration and inspectors from the Ministry of Labour are also being planned. These inspections will target workplaces suspected of hiring undocumented migrants, as part of broader efforts to curb both illegal employment and irregular migration.