<p>This study presents a generalized theoretical framework for analyzing laser-induced thermoelastic fields in a damaged hollow cylinder within the context of nonlocal fractional thermoelasticity with variable thermal conductivity. The model extends the classical formulation by incorporating Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity to capture internal length-scale effects, together with memory-dependent heat conduction described by Caputo fractional derivatives. The thermal conductivity is assumed to vary linearly with temperature and is treated using the Kirchhoff transformation to preserve analytical tractability under nonlinear heat transport conditions. A decaying laser pulse is applied at the inner surface of the cylinder, providing a realistic representation of transient surface heating. The governing coupled equations are formulated in cylindrical coordinates and solved using an appropriate transform-based technique. Numerical results are presented to examine the influence of the nonlocal parameter, fractional order, conductivity variation, laser decay parameter, and damage coefficient on the conductive temperature, displacement, and stress distributions. The results reveal that nonlocal effects significantly reduce stress concentration and smooth field gradients, while fractional memory delays thermal propagation and attenuates wave amplitudes. Linear conductivity variation alters thermal penetration depth and stress localization, and material damage, reducing stiffness while enhancing thermal accumulation. The proposed model provides improved predictions for laser-irradiated cylindrical structures in advanced engineering applications.</p>