Cyprus government to double labor inspection staff following targeted enforcement operations

Cyprus Minister of Labor Marinos Mousiouttas announced that the government will double the number of labor inspectors to enhance enforcement against illegal and undeclared work. The current team, consisting of eight to ten inspectors, will be expanded through positions in the 2026 supplementary budget or the 2027 state budget. The announcement follows a recent police raid on 16 catering establishments that resulted in the arrest of 47 individuals for illegal employment or residency. Andis Apostolou, Director of the Department of Labor Relations, noted that those detained included students and asylum seekers who were legally in the country but working without proper authorization. The Ministry reports that undeclared work rates have decreased from 15 percent in 2017 to 5 percent in 2025. Authorities also plan to introduce new administrative fines for illegally employed workers in the coming months, in addition to existing penalties for employers. The goal is to reach 10,000 inspections annually by the end of 2027, although the minister acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining complete oversight.