In June 2022, 65 645 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in the EU Member States, up 66% compared with June 2021 (39 515) and 4% compared with May 2022 (63 105).
The increase from May to June 2022 can be mainly attributed to increases in first-time applicants from Tunisia (+990 people; or +82%), Türkiye (+850; or +31%) and Pakistan (+645; or +22%).
In June 2022, there were also 6 190 subsequent applicants (people who reapplied for asylum after a decision had been taken on a previous application). This was up 2% compared with June 2021, and down by 1% compared with May 2022.
This information comes from monthly asylum data published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics.
Source dataset: migr_asyappctzm
Most first-time asylum applicants were Syrians
In June 2022, Syrians were the largest group of persons seeking asylum (8 600 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (7 705), ahead of Venezuelans (4 705), Colombians (3 840) and Turks (3 625).
In March 2022, there was a large increase in Ukrainian first-time asylum applicants (from 2 370 in February to 12 885 in March) due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. However, the numbers decreased to 1 295 and 975 respectively in May and June 2022. This is also due to the fact that people fleeing Ukraine benefit from temporary protection.
Germany reports the most first-time asylum applicants
With 12 315 first-time applicants registered in June 2022, Germany accounted for 19% of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU. Germany was followed by France (11 095, 17%), ahead of Spain (10 595, 16%), Austria (9 060, 14%) and Italy (5 690, 9%).
These five Member States together accounted for nearly three-quarters (74%) of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU.
Almost three thousand unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in the EU
In June 2022, 2 905 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU Member States, up by 63% compared with June 2021 (1 785) and up 10% compared with May 2022 (2 635). This is among the EU Member States for which data are available.
Most unaccompanied minors who lodged asylum applications in June 2022 came from Afghanistan (1 295), Syria (525), Somalia (175) and Pakistan (140).
The three Member States that received the highest numbers of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in June 2022 were Austria (1 145) with an increase of 49% compared with May 2022, Germany (380) with a decrease of 13% and Belgium (320) with an increase of 28%.
For more information:
- Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics
- Statistics Explained article on annual asylum statistics
- What’s New article on Ukrainians granted temporary protection in July
- Dedicated section on migration and asylum statistics
- Database on asylum statistics
Methodological information:
- Due to temporary derogations, data on subsequent applicants are not available for Denmark, Cyprus and Sweden, and on unaccompanied minor asylum applicants for France, Cyprus and Poland. As a result, these Member States were not included in the calculation of the respective EU totals. A complete list of such derogations is provided in the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/431.
- Statistics on asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors presented in the article refers to the age accepted by the national authorities, however before the age assessment procedure was carried out/completed (i.e. it refers to the age as claimed by the applicant).
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