2023-07-30 04:07:43
The number of asylum applications continues to decline. In June, 5,002 people applied for asylum in Austria. This corresponds to a decrease of almost 50 percent compared to June last year, when 9,733 asylum applications were made. The downward trend is also reflected in the figures for the entire first half of the year: According to the Ministry of the Interior, 22,990 people applied for asylum from January to June. In the first half of 2022 there were still 32,351. This corresponds to a decrease of 29 percent.
Since February, the monthly asylum numbers have been falling compared to the previous year. In a long-term comparison, however, they are still at a relatively high level. The Ministry of the Interior attributes the declining numbers to successes in combating people smuggling, consistent controls in border areas, fast asylum procedures and international cooperation. Specifically, the end of the visa-free regime for Indians and Tunisians in Serbia and the return agreements with India and Morocco are mentioned. Contrary to the trend in other EU countries, Austria reported a sharp decline in the first half of 2023. Germany (plus 82 percent), Italy (plus 63), Spain (plus 49) and France (plus 42), on the other hand, are confronted with rapidly increasing numbers of asylum seekers.
Among the 22,990 asylum applications in the first six months of this year, 2,460 were women and 7,388 were children. The main countries of origin of those seeking protection remained Syria (6,644) and Afghanistan (3,954). It was followed by Morocco (3,279), Turkey (1,695) and Bangladesh (1,170). Asylum was granted in a total of 7,880 cases by the end of June. In contrast, 13,650 asylum decisions were negative. According to the Ministry of the Interior, around 18,500 people avoided the procedure by the end of June by leaving the country again.
As of July 1, 34,542 asylum seekers and persons entitled to asylum and protection were in basic care. Added to this were the 48,586 displaced persons from the Ukraine. The Ukrainian refugees are not included in the asylum statistics because they automatically receive a humanitarian residence permit in the EU member states in accordance with the so-called mass influx directive.
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