25/10/2022
In July 2022, 66 545 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in the EU Member States, 265 more people than in June 2022, which, in relative terms, means a rather small increase of 0.4%. Compared with July 2021 (44 760), there was a 49% increase in the total number of requests.
In July 2022, there were also 5 860 subsequent applicants (people who reapplied for asylum after a decision had been taken on a previous application), a 7% decrease compared with June 2022 and a 2% increase compared with July 2021.
This information comes from monthly asylum data published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics.
Most first-time asylum applicants were Syrians
In July 2022, Syrians were the largest group of persons seeking asylum (9 010 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (8 150), ahead of Venezuelans (3 665), Pakistanis (3 555) and Colombians (3 505).
In March 2022, there was a large increase in Ukrainian first-time asylum applicants (from 2370 in February to 12890 in March) due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The numbers have been decreasing each month: 1510 in April, 1295 in May, 975 in June and 950 in July. This is also because people fleeing Ukraine benefit from temporary protection.
Germany reports the highest number of first-time asylum applicants
With 14 095 first-time applicants registered in July 2022, Germany continued to be the Member State reporting the highest number of first-time asylum applicants in the EU, accounting for 21 % of the total. Germany was followed by France (10 890, 16 %) and Austria (10625, 16 %), ahead of Spain (8745, 13 %), and Italy (5105, 8 %).
These five Member States together accounted for three-quarters (74 %) of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU.
3 400 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in the EU
In July 2022, 3 400 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU Member States, up by 60 % compared with July 2021 (2130) and up 17 % compared with June 2022 (2905). This is among the EU Member States for which data are available.
Most unaccompanied minors who lodged asylum applications in July 2022 came from Afghanistan (1 475), Syria (735), Somalia (225) and Pakistan (140).
The three Member States that received the highest numbers of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in July 2022 were Austria (1 270), with an increase of 11 % compared with June 2022, Germany (485), with a 9 % increase and the Netherlands (450), with an increase of 70 %.
For more information:
- Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics
- Statistics Explained article on annual asylum statistics
- What’s New article on Ukrainians granted temporary protection in August
- Dedicated section on migration and asylum statistics
- Database on asylum statistics
Methodological information:
- Due to temporary derogations, data on subsequent applicants are not available for Denmark, Cyprus and Sweden, and on unaccompanied minor asylum applicants for France, Cyprus and Poland. As a result, these Member States were not included in the calculation of the respective EU totals. A complete list of such derogations is provided in the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/431.
- Statistics on asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors presented in the article refers to the age accepted by the national authorities, however before the age assessment procedure was carried out/completed (i.e. it refers to the age as claimed by the applicant).