**Title: Cyprus Turns to Egypt and India to Address Construction Workforce Shortage**
Cyprus is seeking to replenish its construction workforce by looking towards Egypt and India, as the local industry grapples with a significant shortage of labor. This shortage has been exacerbated by the government's Syrian repatriation scheme, which has resulted in many workers leaving the country.
The building contractors’ association, Oseok, revealed in a statement to the Cyprus Mail that the government is actively engaging with both Egypt and India to explore avenues for bringing in new workers. “We must replenish the workforce as the domestic market either does not want to or cannot meet the demand,” Oseok emphasized.
Cyprus already has an established framework with Egypt, which was formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in June 2024. This agreement aims to regulate and facilitate the entry and residence of Egyptian workers based on the needs of the Cypriot labor market. A joint committee has been set up to oversee the implementation of the MOU and to assess any necessary adjustments. In April 2026, both governments agreed to enhance their cooperation, including initiatives for vocational training to ensure that Egyptian workers possess the skills required in Cyprus.
In addition to Egypt, the employers and industrialists federation (Oev) is considering a similar framework for India. The federation commended India for its vast labor pool, which could potentially meet the demands of the Cypriot construction industry. However, the process of recruiting workers from non-EU countries like India involves more complex immigration procedures. Workers from outside the EU must obtain an entry permit, as well as temporary residence and employment permits, before they can begin work in Cyprus. Employers are also required to navigate the relevant approval processes for hiring third country nationals.
While the government is working to attract workers from abroad, it is simultaneously encouraging Syrian families to return to their home country under its repatriation scheme. This program provides financial assistance to families relocating to Syria, allowing one adult family member to remain in Cyprus temporarily to continue working while the rest of the family makes the move.
Oseok has urged construction companies to inform their Syrian workers about the repatriation scheme and the options available to them. The federation has previously estimated that the construction sector in Cyprus is in need of approximately 5,000 additional workers, covering a range of roles from laborers and drivers to skilled technical workers and engineers. The urgency of this labor shortage is becoming increasingly apparent as the construction industry continues to flourish, yet employers struggle to find sufficient personnel to meet the growing demand.
Contractor Konstantinos Karmiotis expressed concerns about the recruitment process, noting that hiring Egyptian workers is currently more challenging than sourcing labor from EU countries like Romania or Bulgaria, primarily due to the additional paperwork and regulatory requirements involved. “But we will need to act,” Karmiotis stated. “I’ve lost so many men with the repatriations. Other colleagues say the same. We simply cannot find the men right now.”
As the Cypriot construction industry faces these challenges, the government's efforts to engage with Egypt and India may provide a crucial solution to the ongoing labor shortage. With the demand for skilled labor continuing to rise, timely action will be essential to ensure that the sector can sustain its growth and meet the needs of the market.