Asylum applications start to increase again

2024-11-21 16:15:00, Aktualitet CNA

After a few months of slowdown, asylum applications have shown a slight upward trend in the summer. Eurostat data showed that a total of 590 asylum applications were registered in August, the highest level since May.

However, asylum requests continue to remain low compared to previous years. According to Eurostat, for the period January-August, a total of 4,900 applications for asylum from Albanian citizens were registered, with a decrease of 20% compared to the same period a year ago and almost half of the year 2022, when the highest level was recorded. high in recent years.

The most preferred countries for asylum remain France, followed by Germany and Italy.

While the emigration channel through asylum applications has been declining, the trend is towards fleeing with a work permit. Other Eurostat data revealed that the number of first-time residence permits granted by EU countries to Albanian citizens who want to work has increased significantly since the pandemic.

In 2022, the highest record level was reached, at least since 2013 when the data is reported, at 21 thousand. In 2023, 17.6 thousand permits were issued. While asylum applications in 2023 were about 9.1 thousand.

In just two years, EU countries have granted almost 39,000 residence permits to Albanian citizens who fled to work. The number of escapes through employment permits is several times higher than that of asylum applications.

69,270 asylum requests in August 2024 in the EU

In August 2024, 69,270 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, a drop of almost a quarter (24.8%) compared to August 2023 (92,055) .

Asylum applications start to increase again

69,270 non-EU citizens applied for asylum for the first time in European Union countries, a decrease of 24.8 percent compared to August a year ago. Repeat applications had an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the same period, recording a total of 6,285 applications.

In August 2024, Syrians remained the largest group of people seeking asylum (13,340 first-time applicants), followed by Afghans (5,605) and Venezuelans (4,690).

Germany (18,425), Spain (10,580), France (10,035) and Italy (9,620) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applications, accounting for 70% of all first-time applications. seen in the EU.

The total EU rate of first-time asylum applicants in August 2024 was 15.4 per hundred thousand people. Compared to the population of each EU country (on 1 January 2024), the highest rates of first-time applicants were recorded in Greece (59.9), ahead of Ireland (31.5).

A total of 2,980 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, with the majority coming from Syria (1,090), Afghanistan (360), Egypt (275) and Somalia (225).

The EU country that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors was Germany (715), followed by Bulgaria (480), the Netherlands (440), Greece (365) and Belgium (230). Monitor.al

Asylum applications start to increase again