Asylum and Temporary Protection Applications Drop Significantly Across EU in 2024 and Early 2025

The European Union witnessed a marked decline in asylum applications throughout 2024, a trend that appears to be continuing into the first quarter of 2025.

According to a recent Eurostat press release, 912,415 individuals applied for asylum in 2024—representing a 13.1 per cent decrease compared to previous years.

The data signals a notable slowdown in the number of people seeking protection within EU borders.

In tandem with the decline in asylum applications, the number of people granted temporary protection—particularly those fleeing the ongoing war in Ukraine—also dropped. In 2024, EU member states extended temporary protection to 780,280 Ukrainians, which marks a 26.1 per cent reduction compared to 2023 figures.

Despite the overall decline, some countries stood out for their disproportionately high rates of asylum seekers relative to their populations. Cyprus topped the list with 7.2 first-time asylum applicants per 1,000 residents. Greece followed with 6.6 applicants per 1,000, while Ireland and Spain each recorded 3.4 applicants per 1,000 people.

When it comes to temporary protection, Czechia and Slovakia led the EU with the highest numbers per capita. Czechia recorded 7.1 beneficiaries of temporary protection per 1,000 residents, while Slovakia followed with 4.8. Poland was not far behind, granting protection to 4.5 individuals per 1,000 residents.

Syrians represented the largest group of asylum seekers across the EU in 2024, with 148,185 first-time applicants. This group accounted for 16.2 per cent of the total EU asylum applications. Other notable nationalities included Venezuelans with 72,790 applicants (eight per cent), Afghans with 72,240 (7.9 per cent), Colombians with 50,320 (5.5 per cent), and Turkish nationals with 46,840 (5.1 per cent).

However, the acceptance rates for asylum applications varied widely depending on the applicant’s country of origin. Colombians faced the lowest success rate at first instance, with just seven per cent of their applications being approved without appeal. Georgia, Morocco, and Egypt also recorded low first-instance recognition rates, all falling below the 20 per cent threshold.

On the other hand, asylum seekers from Palestine, Venezuela, Mali, and Ukraine had far better chances, with first-instance recognition rates surpassing 50 per cent.

Moving into 2025, the downward trend in asylum numbers has continued. During the first quarter of the year, only 183,809 first-time asylum applicants were recorded across the EU, showing a sharp 23.5 per cent decline from the last quarter of 2024.

In contrast, the number of people receiving temporary protection has risen significantly in the same period. Between January and March 2025, 136,113 individuals were granted temporary protection in EU countries—a 30.9 per cent increase compared to the previous quarter.

According to Eurostat, “for every 1,000 people in the EU in 2024, there were 2.0 first-time asylum applicants and 1.7 new temporary protection decisions.” This ratio further highlights the broad deceleration in both asylum applications and temporary protection grants across the bloc.

These figures reflect shifting migration patterns across the EU, as well as changing geopolitical and administrative dynamics affecting the ability—and willingness—of people to seek refuge within the union. Whether these trends will hold throughout 2025 remains to be seen. 

By fLEXI tEAM