Nigerians, Syrians banned from obtaining work permit by north Cyprus government

Lefkosia, North Cyprus — A newly posted notice at a government office in Lefkosa, north Cyprus has confirmed that pre-authorization petitions for third-country work permits procedures will no longer be accepted from citizens of five specific nations. 

The decision, displayed in a printed sign taped inside the Ministry of labor and social security building in Lefkosa, has raised questions about the country's evolving policies towards foreigners.

The notice, written in Turkish, states: “While issuing the Third Country Pre-Authorization Work Permit Petition, applications will not be accepted from citizens of the countries listed below.”

According to the sign which was released since April, individuals holding citizenship from the following countries: -Syria, -Armenia, -Nigeria, -Afghanistan, -Iraq are now ineligible to submit a "Third Country Pre-Authorization Work Permit Petition" (3. Ülke Ön İzin Dilekçesi).

Although no official explanation accompanies the announcement, the exclusion appears to reflect a tightening of administrative protocols towards foreigners. 

As at the time of this report, the TRNC authorities have not released an official statement detailing the reasoning behind the policy shift or its expected duration. 

Further clarifications are anticipated from the Ministry of labor and social security or the Ministry of Interior in the coming days.

This development marks another chapter in north Cyprus’s increasingly complex immigration landscape, as the country continues to churn out policies that affect foreigners and students.