Asylum requests in the EU decrease in November 2024

Brussels – Asylum claims in the EU fell in November, according to data from Eurostat published today (Feb. 17). The EU statistical agency reported that 75,045 citizens of third countries applied for international protection in one of the member states in November of 2024, down 14 percent than in October 2024 (86,920), and an annual 31 percent contraction (108,895 in November 2023).

By nationality, Syrians were the largest group  (11,565 applications, 15.4 percent of the total), followed by Venezuelans (7,210 applications, or 9.6 percent) and Afghans (5,880 or 7.8 percent).

The countries that received the most applicants were Germany (16,820), Spain (14,925), Italy, and France (11,620 and 11,345, respectively), which together accounted for about 73 percent of all asylum applications filed last November.

Considering the aggregate population of the 27 member states, an average of 16.7 applications for international protection were filed for every 100,000 EU citizens in the month under review. The figure varies significantly across member states: the highest ratio of asylum seekers to population was recorded in Greece (79.5 applications per 100 thousand inhabitants), Cyprus (42.4 applications), Luxembourg and Spain (both with 30.7 applications). In Italy, this figure stands at 19.7 applications per 100 thousand inhabitants, not precisely what one would expect upon hearing talk of “invasion” or “ethnic replacement.”

Of the 75,045 asylum seekers, 2,820 were unaccompanied minors (3.76 percent of the total), of whom 875 applied in Germany (31 percent of the total number of unaccompanied minors), 525 in Greece (18.62 percent), and 320 in Spain (11.35 percent). Of those 2,820, 860 were from Syria (30.5 percent), 395 from Egypt (14 percent), and 385 from Afghanistan (13.65 percent).

These figures relate to first-time applications for international protection by non-EU nationals. There were 6,430 subsequent applicants (down -14 percent over the previous month’s 7,475 and a -5 percent drop from November 2023, when there had been 6.740). According to the regulation of the Asylum Procedures Directive (part of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum), subsequent applicants are persons who made a further application for international protection after a final decision.