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News Published: 23 March 2023

Asylum applications remain at high levels in January

Latest Asylum Trends

Analysis released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) estimates that about 92 000 asylum applications were lodged in the EU+ in January 2023, after a similar number was recorded in December 20221.

Applications have been at high levels since last autumn, resulting in almost 1 million being lodged in 2022. At the same time, over 4 million persons have fled Ukraine and benefit from temporary protection in the EU, which guarantees access to accommodation, social and medical assistance, and education.

In January 2023, Syrians (12 700) and Afghans (12 100) continued to lodge the most applications for international protection, with monthly figures increasing year-on-year. Turks lodged approximately one-third more applications in January 2023 (6 400) than the 2022 monthly average, while Venezuelans (4 800) and Colombians (4 400) also recorded high numbers of applications; two-fifths and four-fifths higher than in January 2022, respectively.

Latest Asylum trends - infographics

In January 2023, the EU+ recognition rate was 41 %, in line with the previous month, but up by several percentage points compared to January 2022. The EU+ recognition rate does not include persons receiving a form of national protection, as is often the case with Venezuelan nationals.

At the end of January 2023, there were 644 000 cases awaiting a decision at first instance, the most since early 2017 when EU+ countries were processing applications lodged during the migration crisis of 2015-2016.

 
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    EUAA EPS data are preliminary and might differ from validated official statistics submitted to Eurostat at a later stage. Eurostat data are used in the annual EUAA Asylum Report. The total EPS numbers include an approximation for one EU+ country and may change after data updates.