108 950 asylum applications in November 2023

In November 2023, 108 950 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, an 11% increase compared with November 2022 (97 800). 

There were also 6 375 subsequent applicants, representing a 3% increase compared with November 2022 (6 215).

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 remained the largest group of asylum-seekers

As in previous months, in November 2023, Syrians continued to be the largest group of people seeking asylum (23 460 first-time applicants). They were followed by Turks (12 870), ahead of Afghans (7 930), Venezuelans (6 175) and Colombians (5 445). 

Germany, Italy, Spain and France and Greece: 82% of all first-time asylum applicants

Similarly to previous months, in November 2023, Germany (36 495), Italy (14 160), Spain (14 105), France (14 070) and Greece (10 285) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants, accounting for 82% of all first-time applicants in the EU.

In November 2023, based on available data, the EU total of first-time asylum applicants was 24.3 per hundred thousand people.

Compared with the population of each EU country (on 1 January 2023), the highest rates of registered first-time applicants in November 2023 were recorded in Cyprus (154.8) and Greece (98.9).

3 510 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in EU countries

In November 2023, 3 510 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, with most coming from Syria (1 230) and Afghanistan (580).

 Source dataset: migr_asyumactm

The EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors were Germany (1 365), the Netherlands (615), Italy (315), Greece (305) and Bulgaria (265).