Eurostat figures show 305,700 first time asylum seekers applied for international protection in the EU-28 during the second quarter of 2016 (from April to June 2016), up by 6% compared with the first quarter of 2016 (when 287,100 first time applicants were registered). This was 88,100 more than in the same quarter of 2015 (217,600 were registered).
The largest numbers of first time applicants (from April to June 2016), were recorded in:
- Germany: 186,745 (61% of overall applicants)
- Italy: 27,045 (9%)
- France: 17835 (6%)
- Hungary: 14 915 (5%)
- Greece: 12 015 (4%)
The five main countries of citizenship of asylum applications during the second quarter of 2016 were:
- Syrian: 90,455 (30%)
- Afghanistan: 50,285 (16%)
- Iraq: 34,335 (11%)
- Pakistan: 13,180 (4%)
- Iran: 10,395 (3%)
Key figures for Ireland:
Ireland received 450 asylum applications from April to June 2016 compared to 550 in first quarter of 2016.
The main countries of citizenship of applicants from April to June 2016 were:
- Pakistan: 70 (16%)
- Zimbabwe: 55 (12%)
- Albania: 40 (9%)
- Nigeria: 40 (9%)
- Syria: 35 (8%)
For more information:
See Eurostat news release (22 September 2016) and Eurostat Asylum quarterly report (second quarter 2016).
