In February 2024, 75 445 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, an increase of less than 2% compared with February 2023 (74 295). 

There were also 7 000 subsequent applicants, representing a 7% increase compared with February 2023 (6 540).

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.

First time and subsequent asylum applicants in the EU countries, number of applicants, January 2020 - February 2024. Chart. See link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: migr_asyappctzm

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

In February 2024, Syrians remained the largest group of people seeking asylum (10 465 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (6 950) and Venezuelans (5 800). 

Germany, Spain, Italy and France receive 75% of all first-time asylum applicants

Germany (19 490), Spain (13 600), Italy (13 345) and France (10 205) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants, accounting for 75% of all first-time applicants in the EU.

In February 2024, the EU total for first-time asylum applicants was 16.8 per hundred thousand people. Compared with the population of each EU country (on 1 January 2023), the highest rates of first-time applicants were recorded in Cyprus (87.1) and Greece (52.5).

2 555 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in EU countries

In February 2024, 2 555 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, with most coming from Syria (710), Afghanistan (470), Egypt (145), Somalia (135) and Guinea (110).

Unaccompanied minors in the EU, number od applicants applying for asylum for the first time, February 2024. Chart. See link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: migr_asyumactm

The EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors were Germany (1 025), the Netherlands (385), Spain (240), Greece (215) and Italy (190).

For more information

Methodological notes

  • First-time applications: February 2024 data not available for Czechia and Romania, January 2024 data used. 
  • Subsequent applications: new data collection from the reference year 2021. The total is based on available data. Czechia and Romania: February 2024 data not available, January 2024 data used. Cyprus: due to temporary derogations, data on subsequent applications are not available until December 2023, therefore Cyprus is not included in the total calculated until December 2023. Denmark: data on subsequent applicants are not applicable, therefore Denmark is not included in the total calculated.
  • First-time applications of unaccompanied minors: February 2024 data not available for Czechia and Romania, January 2024 data used. Cyprus and Poland: data not available. As a result, these Member States were not included in the calculation.  

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