22,000 applications this year

Asylum: fewer than last year, but numbers are rising

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

In October, the number of asylum applications rose to the second highest monthly figure of the year, but fell significantly compared to the same month last year. Specifically, 2459 asylum applications were submitted, almost 600 more than in September. However, as October 2023 was also a month with a high number of applications, the number of applications fell by 76% year-on-year.

Overall, 61 percent fewer applications were submitted this year than in the previous year. This decline can also be seen in an international comparison. Austria is now far removed from its longstanding top 3 position in terms of the so-called per capita burden.

Cyprus, Greece and Ireland with the most applications
In the first half of the year, Austria was only in seventh place. Cyprus, Greece and Ireland now hold the top positions. Unsurprisingly, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are at the bottom of the list.

Just under 22,000 applications by the end of October
Austria, meanwhile, is heading for its lowest figure since 2020. Just under 22,000 applications were submitted in the first ten months, 58% of which were submitted by men. Just over half of the applications came from people under 18, which is partly due to the high level of family reunification, especially at the beginning of the year. This has now fallen sharply. In October, there were only 392 entries under this heading, compared to just under 1300 in March.

Syrians submitted by far the most applications with more than 12,000. A total of just under 14,900 people received positive asylum decisions. Subsidiary protection was granted a good 6600 times. Almost 1,200 people were granted a humanitarian residence permit. Of the 11,231 deportations carried out by the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, 5433 were carried out independently and 5798 by force.

Balkan route chosen less frequently
With regard to the situation in Europe, the Ministry of the Interior notes that the pressure at the land and sea borders with Turkey remains high. Here, the responsible EU agencies have recorded an increase in illegal crossings of 14% to around 57,000. In contrast, the pressure on the Balkans has eased considerably. Here, the number of apprehensions has fallen by 80 percent. Burgenland is also benefiting from this. In the first ten months, 3127 apprehensions were made there following an illegal border crossing, compared to 29,594 in the same period in 2023 and 67,090 in the previous year.