17% increase in asylum applications in May compared to April.
Increase by 89% in this year’s asylum applications compared to last year was recorded in the EU according to data published on Thursday by Eurostat.
In particular, in May 2022, 63,105 first-time asylum seekers (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU Member States, an 89% increase compared to May 2021 (33,385) and a 17% increase compared to April 2022 (54,145).
The increase from April to May 2022 can be partly attributed to increases in Venezuelans (from 3,655 in April to 4,820 in May • +32%) and first-time Syrian applicants (from 6,485 to 8,025, +24%) . In May 2022, there were also 6,280 renewal applications (people who reapply for asylum after a decision has been made on a previous application), an increase of 20% compared to May 2021 and 13% compared to April 2022.
🛂In May 2022, 63 105 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in the EU Member States, up 89% compared with May 2021 (33 385) and up 17% compared with April 2022 (54 145 ).
👉 https://t.co/Hu5KIkvEph pic.twitter.com/tQW8EazMKs— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) August 25, 2022
Most first-time asylum seekers were Syrian
In May 2022, Syrians were the largest group of people seeking asylum (8,025 first-time applicants). Afghans followed (7,695), ahead of Venezuelans (4,820), Colombians (3,535) and Pakistanis (2,890). In March 2022, there was a large increase in first-time Ukrainian asylum seekers (from 2,370 in February to 12,885 in March) due to Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine. However, the numbers fell to 1,510 and 1,295 respectively in April and May 2022.
Germany reports the most asylum seekers for the first time
With 13,855 first-time asylum seekers registered in May 2022, Germany accounted for 22% of all first-time applicants in the EU. Germany was followed by Spain (10,200, 16%), ahead of France (9,800, 16% ), Italy (6,450, 10%) and Austria (5,645, 9%). These five Member States together accounted for almost 3/4 (73%) of all first-time EU applicants.
2,635 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in the EU, of which around half were Afghans
In May 2022, 2,635 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in EU Member States, a 97% increase compared to May 2021 (1,335) and a 17% increase compared to April 2022 (2,260). Most unaccompanied minors who submitted asylum applications in May 2022 came from Afghanistan (1,215), Syria (460) and Somalia (165). Austria (770), Germany (435) and Bulgaria (320) were the three Member States that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in May 2022.
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