The strong influx of asylum seekers from previously rather atypical countries of origin such as India and Tunisia has come to a halt this year. Now those refugee groups are back on top, just like previous years. There were a total of 6950 applications this year, with a sharp drop of 22 percent in February compared to the previous year. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) called the situation “serious”.
In February, most asylum applications came from Syrians, followed by Afghans. However, Moroccans are now strongly represented, although they have little chance of protection.
Moroccans are generally the strongest group of applicants
If you add up both months in 2023, Moroccans even form the strongest group of refugees. In contrast, only six percent of applications are from Indians – a result of Serbia’s visa facilitation being lifted for the country. In fact, applications from Tunisians have been halted. This year, only 79 applications were submitted by citizens of the country, which is no longer even in the top ten.
2151 applications came through positively
Nearly 4,300 job applications from men are faced with nearly 700 from women. The rest of the applications came from minors, more than 480 of whom were unaccompanied. In total, there were 101 more applications in the first two months than in the comparable months of 2022, but significantly fewer than in the autumn of last year. Asylum has been granted in 2,151 cases so far this year. In addition, there were 1,006 cases of subsidiary protection and 284 humanitarian residence permits.
decline in basic services
As of March 1, there were exactly 88,997 people in basic care. That is about 4,000 fewer than around the turn of the year. 60 percent of those cared for in this way were Ukrainians, who are usually not asylum seekers.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) called the situation “serious” despite the deterioration compared to “Today” and called for international efforts. Regarding the strong immigration from Morocco, he referred to talks between him and Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in the North African country. These would now be continued at the police level.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
