Cyprus issued the second-highest number of first residence permits to non-EU minors in 2024, relative to its population size, according to the latest figures released by Eurostat. This high rate places Cyprus far above the majority of the bloc, highlighting its significant role in hosting non-EU children.
Cyprus Leads EU in Relative Terms
The European Union collectively granted a total of 540,445 first residence permits to individuals under the age of 18 during the year. When scaled to the size of its population, Cyprus ranked exceptionally high:
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Malta led the ranking with 3,379 permits per 100,000 minors.
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Cyprus followed closely, issuing 2,584 permits per 100,000 minors.
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Luxembourg rounded out the top three high-issuing countries with 1,861 permits.
In terms of absolute numbers, the list was dominated by larger nations, with Germany (138,692), Spain (107,828), and Italy (60,125) issuing the most permits overall.
Reasons for Issuance and Nationalities
The overwhelming majority of permits issued to minors across the EU were for reasons related to family stability:
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Family Reunification accounted for 66% of all permits granted.
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International Protection was the reason cited for 30% of the permits.
Syrian children received the largest share of permits at 12% of the total, followed by minors from Morocco (7%) and Ukraine (6%).
Source: Stockwatch.com.cy