22/02/2023
Syrians and Afghans are by far the most high number of applicantsAsylum in the EU+, nearly one million applications in 2022
In 2022, EU+ countries received about 966,000 applications for international protection, an increase of more than 50 percent over 2021, touching the highest peak since 2016. The largest groups of applicants were Syrians, Afghans and Turks; the number of pending applications reached the highest level since 2017. Syrians (132,000) and Afghans (129,000) are by far the largest groups of applicants. The figures are from estimates by the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA).
The increase from 2021 would be partly due to the removal of Covid19 related restrictions.
About 4 million people fled from Ukraine, on the other hand, benefit from temporary protection. The decision to offer a dedicated channel that does not require individual examination of applications for protection, the EUAA says, has prevented the collapse of European asylum systems. (Photo:
EU Asylum Agency
)