Countries Received Far Fewer Asylum Applicants in 2024: Who’s Applying and Where?

The number of asylum applications in the European Union keeps declining. According to the latest Eurostat data, there were 13.1% fewer asylum applications in 2024 compared to the previous year. Over the year, a total of 912,415 people sought protection in the EU.

This confirms a two-year trend of decreasing migration pressure. Simultaneously, fewer people have sought temporary protection, primarily Ukrainians. In 2024, temporary protection was granted to 780,280 Ukrainians, down 26.1% from 2023.

Where Are Asylum Applications Highest in the EU?

Not all EU countries experience equal migration pressure. Cyprus topped the list for asylum applications relative to its population, with 7.2 applicants per 1,000 people. It was followed by Greece (6.6) and both Ireland and Spain (each with 3.4 applicants per 1,000).

When looking at temporary protection grants per 1,000 people, Czechia leads with 7.1, followed by Slovakia (4.8) and Poland (4.5), driven mainly by the influx of Ukrainians.

Who Seeks Asylum the Most in the EU?

In 2024, the main groups seeking asylum in the EU were:

Syria — 148,185 applicants (16.2% of the total)

Venezuela — 72,790 (8%)

Afghanistan — 72,240 (7.9%)

Colombia — 50,320 (5.5%)

Türkiye — 46,840 (5.1%)

Interestingly, Colombia had the lowest recognition rate, with only 7% of applicants granted protection at the first instance. Other low-recognition countries included Georgia, Morocco, and Egypt, each with rates below 20%.

On the other hand, Palestine, Venezuela, Mali, and Ukraine saw recognition rates exceeding 50%.

Q1 2025: Fewer Asylum Seekers but Higher Temporary Protection

The downward trend continues into 2025. In the first quarter, the EU recorded 183,809 first-time asylum applications, marking a 23.5% drop from the last quarter of 2024.

However, temporary protection numbers rose: 136,113 individuals were granted protection from January to March 2025, a 30.9% increase compared to late 2024. This signals shifting migration dynamics and evolving patterns.

On average in 2024, there were 2.0 first-time asylum applicants and 1.7 new temporary protection decisions per 1,000 people in the EU.

Final Thoughts

Europe’s migration landscape is changing. While asylum applications are decreasing, temporary protection remains significant, especially for Ukrainians. There’s a stark contrast among countries regarding application numbers and acceptance rates. Experts believe that 2025 may continue these trends but warn that geopolitical developments could shift the numbers dramatically.