76 695 asylum applications in April 2024

In April 2024, 76 695 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, a 12% increase compared with April 2023 (68 535). 

There were also 7 260 subsequent applicants, representing a 26% increase compared with April 2023 (5 750).

This information comes from the 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

Syrians, Venezuelans and Afghans remain the largest groups of asylum seekers

In April 2024, Syrians remained the largest group of people seeking asylum (12 075 first-time applicants). They were followed by Venezuelans (6 125) and Afghans (5 610). 

Germany, Spain, Italy and France receive 76% of all first-time applicants

Germany (18 585), Spain (15 430), Italy (13 485) and France (10 505) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants, accounting for 76% of all first-time applicants in the EU.

In April 2024, the EU total of first-time asylum applicants was 17.1 per hundred thousand people.

Compared with the population of each EU country (on 1 January 2024), the highest rates of first-time applicants were recorded in Cyprus (163.6), followed by Ireland (37.9), Greece (36) and Spain (31.7).

2 790 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum 

In April 2024, 2 790 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, with most of them coming from Syria (935) and Afghanistan (405).

Source dataset: migr_asyumactm

The EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors were Germany (1 165), ahead of the Netherlands (455).