Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Data collection on asylum statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Asylum applications:
Asylum, first time and subsequent applicants by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Persons subject of asylum applications pending at the end of month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applications withdrawn by citizenship, age, sex and type of withdrawal (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applicants having had their applications processed under the accelerated procedure by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Applicants having benefited from material reception conditions at the end of the reference year;
Asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors by citizenship, age and sex.
Decisions on asylum applications:
First instance decisions on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted at first instance decision by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors);
Final decisions in appeal or review on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted as final decision in appeal or review by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors).
Resettled persons:
Resettled persons by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and country of previous residence;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and resettlement framework.
In March 2022, the European Commission activated the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC for people from Ukraine seeking refuge.
Temporary protection:
Decisions granting temporary protection by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Beneficiaries of temporary protection at the end of the month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors).
3.2. Classification system
Same as Eurostat.
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Asylum statistics.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Same definitions as Eurostat.
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Persons.
3.6. Statistical population
Third-country nationals and stateless persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.7. Reference area
Iceland
3.8. Coverage - Time
Time coverage according to Regulation (EC) No 862/2007, from January 2008, eventually January 2021.
Data on first-time asylum applicants are not available from January 2008 to December 2014.
Data on withdrawn final decisions are not available for 2010 and 2013.
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar month, calendar quarter and calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Act No. 163/2007 on Statistics Iceland and Official Statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The Directorate of Immigration in Iceland delivers data monthly to Statistics Iceland.
Statistics Iceland only grants access to confidential data for certified scientific research purposes or for collaboration with international institutions within the European Statistical System (ESS). Strict conditions have been put into place for access to confidential data in both cases. Before access is authorised, direct identities are removed from the data and indirect identities are either removed or concealed as is possible while maintaining the utmost data security. It is possible to apply for access to Statistics Iceland´s micro-data online: Data for scientific research - Statistics Iceland.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
The data on asylum statistics is submitted to Eurostat, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, through the EDAMIS4 data transmission system.
Statistics Iceland has its own quality management system which is based on the principles of the European statistical cooperation (European Statistics Code of Practice - Quality - Eurostat) and the UNECE business process model in statistical production (GSBPM; generic statistical business process model).
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
The country of previous residence is missing for the resettled persons from 2022 to 2024.
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
No known accuracy issues.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Errors in recording are unavoidable. The Directorate of Immigration has initiated work with the aim of improving inhouse processes for data recording intended to decrease the rate of errors.
13.3.1. Coverage error
No known coverage errors.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
No known measurement errors.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Errors in recording are unavoidable. The Directorate of Immigration has initiated work with the aim of improving processes for data recording intended to decrease the rate of errors.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Monthly data: not later than 2 months after the end of the reference period.
Annual data: not later than 3 months after the end of the reference period.
Annual data on applicants having benefited from material reception conditions: not later than 6 months after the end of the reference period.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Data are delivered on time.
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data is geographically comparable across the country.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data are comparable over time.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
There are no extra burdens or costs for the individuals reported in the data. The main costs are the costs of data processing and analysis, which fall on The Directorate of Immigration and Statistics Iceland, mostly in ensuring data quality and harmonizing measures.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revision is not planned for the data. If errors are found in the raw data, or subsequent processing and analysis, the data will be corrected.
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
Administrative data from Statistics Iceland, based on data collected by The Directorate of Immigration.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The Directorate of Immigration sends the asylum data monthly, quarterly and annually.
18.3. Data collection
The source data is collected by The Directorate of Immigration .
18.4. Data validation
Special care is made to ensure data consistency and to count individuals only once. The results are also validated by an automatic process available as a part of Eurostat’s data submission portal (EDAMIS).
18.5. Data compilation
No estimations are done. The data is sent monthly from The Directorate of Immigration to Statistics Iceland.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Data compilation is adjusted according to any changes in Eurostat´s code of practice, which are specified in technical guidelines.
Data collection on asylum statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Asylum applications:
Asylum, first time and subsequent applicants by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Persons subject of asylum applications pending at the end of month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applications withdrawn by citizenship, age, sex and type of withdrawal (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applicants having had their applications processed under the accelerated procedure by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Applicants having benefited from material reception conditions at the end of the reference year;
Asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors by citizenship, age and sex.
Decisions on asylum applications:
First instance decisions on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted at first instance decision by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors);
Final decisions in appeal or review on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted as final decision in appeal or review by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors).
Resettled persons:
Resettled persons by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and country of previous residence;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and resettlement framework.
In March 2022, the European Commission activated the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC for people from Ukraine seeking refuge.
Temporary protection:
Decisions granting temporary protection by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Beneficiaries of temporary protection at the end of the month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors).
15 September 2025
Same definitions as Eurostat.
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
Persons.
Third-country nationals and stateless persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
Iceland
Calendar month, calendar quarter and calendar year.
No known accuracy issues.
Number of persons.
No estimations are done. The data is sent monthly from The Directorate of Immigration to Statistics Iceland.
Administrative data from Statistics Iceland, based on data collected by The Directorate of Immigration.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
The statistics are disseminated monthly, quarterly and yearly.
Monthly data: not later than 2 months after the end of the reference period.
Annual data: not later than 3 months after the end of the reference period.
Annual data on applicants having benefited from material reception conditions: not later than 6 months after the end of the reference period.
Data is geographically comparable across the country.
Data are comparable over time.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
