EU received over 91 700 asylum applications in August 2023

In August 2023, 91 735 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, a 19% increase compared with August 2022 (77 145). 

There were also 5 660 subsequent applicants, representing an 8% decrease compared with August 2022 (6 165).

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 

Syrian nationals remain the largest group of asylum-seekers

As in previous months, in August 2023, Syrians continued to be the largest group of people seeking asylum (18 170 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (9 785), ahead of Turks (7 970), Venezuelans (4 805) and Colombians (4 665). 

Germany, Spain, France and Italy received 68% of all first-time asylum applicants

Similarly to previous months, in August 2023, Germany (29 110), Spain (12 075), France (11 495) and Italy (10 005) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants, accounting for 68% of all first-time applicants in the EU.

In August 2023, the EU total of first-time asylum applicants was 20.5 per hundred thousand people. Compared with the population of each EU country (on 1 January 2023), the highest rate of registered first-time applicants in August 2023 was recorded in Cyprus (97.0 applicants per hundred thousand people), ahead of Austria (72.4). By contrast, the lowest rate was observed in Hungary (0.0).

4 465 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in EU countries

Source dataset: migr_asyumactm

In August 2023, 4 465 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, mostly from Syria (1 540) and Afghanistan (1 420).

The EU countries which received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in August 2023 were Germany (1 250), followed by Austria (795), and Bulgaria (735).