EU names Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Italy as countries under migratory pressure

In brief

• On 6 November the Commission launched the second Annual Migration Management Cycle under the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
• Greece, Spain and Cyprus are under migratory pressure because of a disproportionate level of arrivals; Italy because of arrivals following search and rescue at sea.
• These four countries gain access to the Solidarity Pool, support from other EU countries.
• A further 15 countries are at risk of pressure, and six face a significant migratory situation due to the burden of the past five years.
• Investment residence programmes, remote work visas and rules for legal residents are not changed by the decision.

What the Commission decided

The Pact on Migration and Asylum, in application since June 2026, requires the Commission to assess the migratory situation in every EU country each year. The basis is Regulation 2024/1351 on asylum and migration management. Based on the assessment, the Commission determines which countries are under pressure and proposes the size of the next year's Solidarity Pool. The first cycle ran in 2025; the second began on 6 November 2026.

In its annual report the Commission says the migratory situation in the EU is continuously improving thanks to new rules, assertive migration diplomacy and border management. But the burden on certain countries remains high. The final breakdown looks like this:

Czechia, Estonia, Croatia and Poland appear in two categories at once: at risk of pressure in the coming year and in a significant situation over five years. The reasons vary: large numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries or asylum applications, strain on the return system or protection of the EU's external border.

What this means for you. If you live or plan to live in Greece, Spain, Cyprus or Italy on a legal basis, your status does not depend on this decision. But expect closer checks at the border and when renewing documents.

How the Pact on Migration and Asylum works

The Pact on Migration and Asylum is a package of ten EU laws adopted in 2024. It has applied since June 2026 and changes almost everything: screening at the external border, asylum procedures, the rules on which country is responsible for an application, and the solidarity mechanism. The annual cycle the Commission launched on 6 November is its regular part: each year an assessment, a pressure decision and a new Solidarity Pool.

For legal migration the Pact matters because it separates the flows. Irregular arrivals go through mandatory border screening and accelerated procedures, while legal routes such as visas, residence permits and work permits remain in each country's hands. That is why the pressure decision does not touch residence programmes, but affects how strictly a country checks arrivals overall.

What the Solidarity Pool is

The Solidarity Pool is the Pact's central mechanism. Countries not under pressure help those that are. Each country chooses the form of its contribution:

The Commission has proposed a second Solidarity Pool for 2027. Under the Pact's rules the proposal itself is not published. The Council of the EU sets the size of the Pool and each country's contribution. Once the Council decides, contributions become public and legally binding. Countries in a significant migratory situation may ask for a full or partial deduction.

Countries under pressure can access the Pool only if they continue to apply the responsibility rules: registering arrivals, running border procedures and returning those refused. This is a key part of the Pact's logic: support in exchange for compliance with common rules.

What it means for people moving legally

The Commission's decision concerns the asylum system and irregular migration. It does not change the conditions of investment residence, remote work visas, residence for financially independent people or work permits. The Greek Golden Visa, Cyprus permanent residence, the Spanish digital nomad visa and the Italian investor visa operate under the same rules.

There are indirect consequences, though. Countries under pressure receive EU support and obligations at the same time: tightening border control, processing asylum claims faster and returning those refused. In practice this means more document checks on entry, at residence registration and at renewal. For a legal resident this is no threat, but a reason to keep papers in order.

Cyprus is a special case. The country is preparing to join Schengen in 2027, and the pressure designation coincides with that process. To enter Schengen Cyprus must demonstrate reliable border control, so checks there will only increase. We discussed how this affects Cypriot programmes in our article on Cyprus residence before Schengen.

Borders and checks: the overall trend

The decision fits the EU's broader course towards control. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency is receiving a returns mandate, the EES entry-exit system is running, and ETIAS is expected to launch later. More on the new border systems in our article on EES and ETIAS. Italy and Spain have lifted temporary checks at their shared border, but control at external borders is growing.

Individual countries are also tightening how residence is applied for. Lithuania, for example, since 1 November no longer accepts work and study permit applications on Schengen visas. Sergej Evdokimov examined this two-sided picture in his analysis of why Europe is tightening borders while issuing more residence permits: the EU is closing irregular routes while continuing to admit those who come by the rules.

Why the list matters to investors

The list of countries under pressure shows where migration will be the hottest political issue in 2027. In such countries rules for foreigners change more often, including for legal residents, and restrictions on foreign home buyers are discussed more often. Greece, for instance, is already preparing a 15% purchase tax for non-EU tax residents, and Spain closed its Golden Visa in 2025.

This does not mean these countries should be avoided. Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy remain among the most sought-after destinations for relocation and investment. It means decisions should account for how rules may change, and favour a status that withstands such changes. For example, permanent residence is more secure than a temporary status that must be renewed every few years.

Four countries: what lies behind the decision

Each of the four countries has its own reason, and it determines where control will be tightened.

• Greece: the main burden falls on the Aegean islands and the land border with Turkey. For residents of Athens and the mainland daily life barely changes; checks increase at ports and on entry.
• Spain: the main route is sea arrivals to the Canary Islands and the southern coast. Residents of Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia feel little effect, but in the Canaries migration is one of the most pressing issues.
• Cyprus: pressure is linked to crossings over the line dividing the island from its northern part. At the same time Cyprus is preparing for Schengen, so control there is growing for two reasons at once.
• Italy: designated because of the number of people arriving after search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, mainly in the south and on the islands.

In none of these countries does the decision affect the rights of those who live there on a residence permit, work or own property. But it is in these countries that politicians will talk about migration most in 2027, and therefore about new rules for foreigners.

What comes next

The next step is for the Council of the EU: it sets the size of the 2027 Solidarity Pool and divides contributions between countries. After that, contributions become public and binding. The Commission will monitor implementation and report shortcomings to the High-Level Solidarity Forum and, if they persist, to the Council.

Two dates matter for readers. The first is the Council decision on the Pool, which will show which countries take in people and which pay. The second is Cyprus joining Schengen in 2027, which will change travel rules for the island's residents. We will update this report on both events.

What to do now

Compare countries and programmes in our residence catalogue. For financially independent people, Spain still offers non-lucrative residence. Our glossary explains what a residence permit is and how it differs from permanent residence. Our team will prepare documents for filing and renewal, and we will review your situation in an online consultation.