Unions challenge overseas nurse recruitment plan as ministry outlines temporary relief

Nicosia, Cyprus. Unions warned MPs on Thursday that recruiting nurses from third countries would not address hospital understaffing. The health ministry described the proposal as an interim measure while initiatives to encourage young Cypriots to enter nursing take effect.

Pay, conditions and nurses leaving the profession

Unions identified inadequate pay and poor working conditions, particularly at private hospitals, as the underlying reasons for the staffing shortage.

Nursing council representative Christos Christodoulou said 988 nurses younger than 40 were not renewing their licences, while 1,450 were not practising nursing in Cyprus. He called on the authorities to investigate their reasons for leaving and provide incentives to bring them back, instead of depending primarily on recruitment from abroad.

Proposed recruitment safeguards

Health ministry spokeswoman Carolina Stylianou said the proposed amendments would allow hospitals to recruit approximately 150 third-country nurses, providing immediate but limited assistance.

She said applicants would have to hold the necessary qualifications and generally have two years of professional experience. Their share of any hospital’s nursing workforce would be capped at 10 per cent, and they would be barred from serving as shift managers.

According to Stylianou, licences would be valid for two years. The Greek-language criteria would also be stricter than those currently applicable to nurses from EU countries.

Student recruitment and further hearings

Outlining efforts to encourage young people to pursue nursing, Stylianou noted that new nursing enrolments at universities in Cyprus had increased to 238 this year, compared with 98 in 2024.

The House health committee is scheduled to continue its discussion on October 29, with employers and Pasin, the association representing private hospitals, due to give their views.