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The number of first-time asylum applications in EU countries in 2024 totalled 912,000 (Image: Getty)
The number of people seeking asylum in the European Union dropped significantly last year, yet certain countries continue to bear the brunt of migration pressure. According to data by Eurostat, first-time asylum applications in the EU fell to 912,000 in 2024, a 13% decline compared to the previous year.
Despite the overall drop, migration remains a key issue, with Syrians continuing to make up the largest group of asylum seekers. In 2024, 148,000 Syrians lodged first-time applications, accounting for 16% of the EU total. They were followed by Venezuelans (nearly 73,000) and Afghans (just over 72,000). Unaccompanied minors made up a notable portion of applications, around 36,000 in total, with the majority coming from Syria (32%), Afghanistan (16%), and Egypt (8%). When it comes to where asylum seekers are applying, Germany remains the primary destination, receiving a quarter of all first-time applications in the EU. Spain followed with 18%, then Italy (17%), France (14%), and Greece (8%).
Germany received the highest number of first-time asylum applications in the EU (Image: Getty)
Breakdown of the top ten EU countries by share of first-time asylum applications in 2024:
- Germany – 229, 750
- Spain – 164,035)
- Italy – 151,120)
- France – 130,950
- Greece – 68,995
- Belgium - 33, 095
- Netherlands - 32,000
- Switzeland - 22,750
- Austria - 21,835
- Ireland - 18,435
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In contrast, Hungary recorded the lowest number of asylum applications in the EU, with just 25 first-time requests in all of 2024, fewer even than tiny Liechtenstein.
While Germany and other major economies took in the most asylum seekers in absolute terms, Cyprus bore the greatest migration pressure relative to its population. The Mediterranean island saw 7.2 asylum applications per 1,000 people - more than three times the EU average of two.
The figure comes amid increasing irregular border crossings in the eastern Mediterranean. Just last month, a migrant boat carrying over 20 people capsized off Cyprus' coast, leaving only two survivors in a tragic reminder of the human cost behind the statistics.
Breakdown of the top five EU countries by asylum applications per capita in 2024:
- Cyprus – 7.2 per 1,000
- Greece – 6.6
- Ireland – 3.4
- Spain – 3.4
- Luxembourg – 3.2
As the EU continues to grapple with migration policy reforms and border management, conflicts and instability persisting globally, asylum applications are likely to remain a central issue for the Union in 2025.
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