In 2018, 333,440 persons were granted international protection in the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU-28), a decrease of almost 40% from 2018 (533,000).
In addition to these beneficiaries, the EU Member States received 24,815 resettled refugees.
Out of all the persons granted protection status in 2018 in the EU-28:
- 163,790 persons (49% of all positive decisions) were given refugee status
- 100,305 (30%) were granted subsidiary protection
- 69,260 (21%) were authorised to stay for humanitarian reasons.
The top citizenships granted protection were:
- Syria: 96,100 (29% of overall applicants)
- Afghanistan: 53,500 (16%)
- Iraq: 24,600 (7%)
- Other: 15,9240 (48%)
The highest number of persons granted protection status were registered in:
- Germany: 139,555
- Italy: 47,885
- France: 41,400
- Austria: 20,700
- Sweden: 19,605
Key figures for Ireland
In Ireland 1,275 positive decisions on asylum applications were made in 2018 compared to 720 in 2017.
- 815 were granted refugee status
- 225 were granted subsidiary protection status
- 235 were authorised to stay for humanitarian reasons.
In 2018, 340 persons were received as resettled refugees in Ireland.
The main countries of citizenship of applicants granted protection in Ireland were:
- Syria: 420 (33% of overall applicants)
- Zimbabwe: 110 (9%)
- Afghanistan: 80 (6%)
- Other: 665 (52%)
For more information:
See Eurostat news release (April 2019)
