Cyprus Leads in Asylum Applications per Capita, but Overall Numbers Decrease in the EU

Cyprus Tops EU Chart with Highest Rate of Asylum Applications per Capita

In February 2023, Eurostat’s data revealed that Cyprus had the highest rate of new asylum applicants relative to its population. With 885 applicants per million people, Cyprus surpassed all other EU member states in the number of first-time asylum applications. Despite this record, the total number of new asylum applications in Cyprus decreased significantly compared to the previous year. In February 2023, Cyprus received 800 new applications, a notable decline from the 1,805 applications recorded in February 2022.

Key Trends and Statistics in EU Asylum Applications

Germany, Spain, France, and Italy emerged as the top recipients of first-time asylum applicants in the EU, collectively accounting for 77% of all applications in February 2023. Germany led the list with 25,335 applicants, followed by Spain with 12,840, France with 10,520, and Italy with 9,840. In total, the EU witnessed a 41% increase in first-time asylum applications, with 76,505 applicants in February 2023 compared to 54,370 in the same month of the previous year.

Syrians constituted the largest group seeking asylum, with 9,885 first-time applications, followed closely by Afghans (9,310), Colombians (5,160), and Venezuelans (5,115). Notably, due to the military aggression in Ukraine, there was a substantial surge in Ukrainian first-time asylum applicants, peaking at 12,190 in March 2022. However, the numbers have been gradually decreasing, reaching 1,110 in February 2023. The presence of temporary protection measures for those fleeing Ukraine has contributed to this decline.

Unaccompanied Minors Seek Asylum in the EU

In February 2023, 2,745 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU. The majority of these minors originated from Afghanistan (1,025) and Syria (675). Germany received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors, with 1,415 applicants. Other countries that recorded significant numbers included the Netherlands (240), Italy (205), Spain (195), and Austria (180).