Cyprus Among EU Leaders in Migrant Deportations

According to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency, Cyprus ranked tenth in the number of deportation orders issued to third-country nationals and fifth in the number of foreign nationals expelled in the fourth quarter of 2024. The majority of those deported were Syrian nationals.

The report clarifies that these figures represent the absolute number of deportations rather than a proportion relative to the country's population.

Data shows that in the fourth quarter of 2024, the total number of deportations across the EU increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2023.

During this period, EU countries issued deportation orders to 124,935 individuals, with 28,630 people being sent back to third countries following official decisions. Compared to the third quarter of 2024, the number of deportation orders rose by 11.5%, while actual deportations increased by 3.3%.

In Cyprus alone, authorities ordered 3,560 third-country nationals to leave the country between October and December 2024. Of those, 2,195 individuals complied with the orders and left the island.

Nationalities Most Affected

The top three nationalities ordered to leave EU territory in Q4 2024 were:

• Algerians – 11,362

• Syrians – 8,674

• Moroccans – 8,561

Among those actually deported to third countries, the largest groups were:

• Georgians – 3,351

• Turks – 2,492

• Albanians – 1,982

In Cyprus, the top three nationalities affected by deportation orders were:

• Syrians – 755

• Citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo – 610

• Nigerians – 295

Meanwhile, the highest number of individuals who were actually deported from Cyprus were:

• Nigerians – 260

• Indians – 255

• Syrians – 240

EU Countries with the Highest Number of Deportations

The highest number of deportation orders in Q4 2024 were recorded in:

• France – 31,880

• Spain – 18,645

• Germany – 15,135

Countries that carried out the most deportations were:

• Germany – 6,170

• France – 3,705

• Sweden – 2,600