Up to 20,000 Israelis now call Cyprus home as emigration rises

Living in Cyprus euIsraelTop News Up to 20,000 Israelis now call Cyprus home as emigration rises Cyprus Israel 1024x683 Relevant News Four Cypriots summit Mount Elbrus, raise Anti-Cancer Society flag 26 August 2026 Up to 20,000 Israelis now call Cyprus home as emigration rises 26 August 2026 Binge it or skip it: Scarpetta – Between past and present, a divisive puzzle 26 August 2026 Daniel Zambartas 26 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber An increasing number of Israelis are making Cyprus their home, with the island emerging as an increasingly important nearby base for families, professionals and businesses at a time when emigration from Israel is running at historically high levels. The Embassy of Israel in Nicosia told Philenews that an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Israelis currently consider Cyprus their home, describing the figure as a significant increase over the years. An exact number is difficult to establish, however, because many Israelis living on the island also hold EU passports and may therefore not appear in statistics as Israeli nationals. The growth comes against the backdrop of an unusually sustained rise in emigration from Israel. A recent Tel Aviv University study, reported by The Times of Israel, found that about 49,000 Israelis left the country for more than a year in both 2023 and 2024. Researchers estimate that nearly 50,000 Israelis who departed during the 2025 calendar year will ultimately be classified as emigrants, meaning they remained abroad for at least 12 months. Final official figures for 2025 will not be available until early 2027. Why Israelis are leaving Researchers point to a combination of political and security pressures behind the elevated levels of emigration. The Tel Aviv University report argued that Israel’s prolonged military conflict and political tensions have contributed to the trend, warning that continued high levels of departures could eventually have implications for the country’s economy and security. A separate study by Oranim College sociology professor Lilach Lev Ari found that many Israelis leaving the country cite dissatisfaction with government policies that they believe could weaken democratic institutions, as well as concerns over the security situation. Another study, conducted by the Israel Tax Authority’s Planning and Economics Division, suggests the composition of those leaving is also changing. Its analysis found that the rate of emigration among affluent Israelis rose sharply in 2023 and 2024 to record levels and was almost twice the level recorded up to 2019. Doctors, engineers and other highly educated, high-earning workers are disproportionately represented among those leaving, according to the study, raising concerns about the loss of skilled workers and future tax revenue. Why Cyprus is attracting Israelis Against this wider backdrop, the Israeli Embassy says Cyprus is increasingly viewed as an attractive place to live, invest and do business. Geographical proximity and close bilateral relations are major factors, it said, alongside several practical considerations. “Other considerations include the strong ‘value for money’ proposition, the favourable tax regime, the high standard of services, the ease of doing business, the sense of safety and security, and the cultural similarities between the two countries,” the embassy said. Economic ties have also continued to deepen. According to the embassy, bilateral trade exceeded €600 million in 2025, while Israeli investment in Cyprus is expanding across sectors including energy, real estate, technology and tourism. Tourism provides another indication of the strength of the relationship. Israel was Cyprus’s second-largest tourism market in 2025, accounting for 13% of all arrivals, or close to 600,000 visitors, according to Cyprus Statistical Service figures. The embassy said these links are increasingly encouraging Israeli companies to look at Cyprus not simply as a market but as a base from which to operate internationally. “Against this backdrop, Cyprus is increasingly viewed by Israeli companies and entrepreneurs not only as an attractive market in its own right, but also as a regional base and gateway to the EU and other international markets,” it said. “Its geographical proximity to Israel, EU membership, business-friendly environment, highly developed professional services sector and strong bilateral relations make Cyprus particularly well positioned to serve this role.” The future outlook Business ties are increasingly extending into research and technology. Over the past five years, Cyprus and Israel have developed co-funded research and innovation programmes involving Cyprus’s Research and Innovation Foundation, Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the Israel Innovation Authority. The programmes have supported cooperation in areas ranging from digital technologies and renewable energy to health, agriculture and the environment. The embassy sees further potential in agriculture and water technology and is exploring the possibility of establishing a pilot demonstration farm in Cyprus, where Israeli agri-tech solutions could be tested under local conditions and demonstrated to Cypriot and regional farmers. Energy storage, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are also seen as promising areas for collaboration. One existing example is a project between Israeli company BaroMar and the Cyprus Institute, which is integrating and testing an underwater compressed-air energy-storage system at the institute’s PROTEAS research facility in Cyprus. “Pilot projects can provide an effective mechanism for testing and demonstrating innovative Israeli technologies in the Cypriot market,” the embassy said. “Overall, the Embassy sees significant scope for strengthening the existing framework of cooperation by moving beyond traditional business links towards joint projects, pilot demonstrations, technology testing and commercial partnerships, creating opportunities for both Israeli and Cypriot companies to access wider regional and EU markets.” Read more: Forbes list highlights Cyprus as retirement haven, but local context reveals sharp purchasing power divide Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Four Cypriots summit Mount Elbrus, raise Anti-Cancer Society flag Binge it or skip it: Scarpetta – Between past and present, a divisive puzzle EAC advances battery storage projects to cut renewable energy curtailments Wednesday to be scorching as yellow warning for extreme heat issued Fire in industrial Aradippou brought under control (videos) Footballer Charles Eloundou released from Limnes deportation detention centre Yellow warning issued for Wednesday as temperatures reach 40 degrees Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.