In 2023, Austria recorded the second highest number of initial asylum applications in relation to population (1,050 per million inhabitants). In October 2023, 114,830 people applied for asylum for the first time in one of the 27 EU countries. That is 17 percent more than in October 2022 (97,980), as the European statistical authority Eurostat announced on Monday. Austria ranks third in the EU when it comes to unaccompanied minors.
The leader is Cyprus with 1,188 asylum applications per million inhabitants. The lowest rate was observed in Hungary (0.3).
Highest number in Germany
Across the EU, the number of new asylum seekers was 256 per million inhabitants. There were also 6,225 follow-up applicants, two percent less than in the same month of 2022 (6,380).
In absolute numbers, comparable to previous months, Germany (34,000), Italy (14,950), France (14,900) and Spain (12,505) still had the most new applicants in the EU in October 2023, with a total of 66 percent.
Syrians remain the largest group
Also unchanged from previous months, Syrians formed the largest group of asylum seekers (24,330 new applicants). They were followed by Turks (15,630), followed by Afghans (9,900), Venezuelans (5,070) and Colombians (4,835).
In October 2023, 5,040 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in the EU for the first time, mainly from Syria (1,975) and Afghanistan (1,150). The EU countries that received the most asylum applications from unaccompanied minors were Germany (1,635), the Netherlands (950), Austria (720), Bulgaria (485) and Greece (425).
The European asylum system is being changed
After years of discussions, representatives of EU countries and the European Parliament agreed before Christmas on a fundamental reform of the EU asylum system. Numerous tightenings of the previous rules are planned. The aim is to combat irregular migration. The agreement still needs to be confirmed by the plenary meeting of the European Parliament and the EU countries.
Source: Krone
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