Migrants’ Access to Social Protection in Cyprus

Abstract

Cyprus has been an attractive destination for labour migration the last decades. The needs of the growing migrant population are catered by an evolving and continuously adapting welfare system. The chapter analyses the main features of the current welfare system in Cyprus with brief references to recent migration patterns and the wider economic context to analyse how differences in statutory provisions affect the access of nationals and migrants to social protection. The overall conclusion is that there are few statutory provisions differentiating conditions of access among the two groups. These differences are observed in regard to means-tested non-contributory benefits and mostly affect non-EU foreign citizens, while there are not specific social protection schemes targeting national citizens residing abroad.

Diaspora Policies, Consular Services and Social Protection for Cypriot Citizens Abroad

“…As EU citizens, Cypriots who move to another Member State benefit from the EU legislation on the portability of unemployment benefits (Koutsampelas 2020). Beyond this, the Cypriot Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance (MLWSI) and, in particular, the Department of Labour, offers limited services to nationals abroad.…”