The European asylum landscape has shifted, with new data revealing an 18% decline in applications during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This decrease is attributed to stricter immigration policies and changes in the countries of origin for many migrants.
According to the European Commission, a total of 173,082 asylum applications were filed across EU member states, as well as in Norway and Switzerland. This marks a significant reduction from the previous year, reflecting evolving migration patterns.
As in previous years, the majority of applications were concentrated in larger EU nations:
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France – 34,643 applications
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Spain – 32,630 applications
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Italy – 32,602 applications
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Germany – 28,922 applications
Conversely, some countries reported very few applications:
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Hungary – 26 applications
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Slovakia – 35 applications
The data indicates that the largest groups of applicants originated from Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Notably, applications from Syrian nationals plummeted by 63%, totaling just 5,556. Similarly, the number of applications from Ukrainian citizens fell to 4,073, a decrease of 57% from the previous year.
Experts suggest that the significant drop in applications from Syria and Ukraine, which previously accounted for a large portion of asylum seekers in Europe, has been a crucial factor in the overall decline.
Recent statistics show a notable 18% drop in asylum applications in Europe for early 2026, primarily driven by stricter immigration policies and shifts in migrant demographics. The decline is particularly pronounced among applicants from Syria and Ukraine.