Newsroom
Asylum applications may be falling across Europe, but the pressure is not being felt equally, and Cyprus remains close to the top of the list.
The island recorded 1,732 asylum applications per million residents during the first six months of 2026, more than double the EU+ average of 710, according to figures released Thursday by the European Union Agency for Asylum.
Only Greece recorded a higher rate, with 2,254 applications per million people.
The figures help explain why migration remains such a visible and politically charged issue in Cyprus, even as the overall European picture appears to be improving. In a small country, the impact is more noticeable, from debates over reception centers and housing to the pressure communities say they feel on schools and public services.
It is important, however, to understand what the ranking means. Cyprus did not receive the second-highest number of applications overall. It recorded the second-highest number in relation to the size of its population.
Large countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany received far more applications in absolute terms. But Cyprus’ much smaller population means each arrival carries greater weight in the per-capita comparison.
More than one form of protection
The asylum figures tell only part of the story.
At the end of June, Cyprus was also hosting 27 beneficiaries of temporary protection for every 1,000 residents, one of the higher rates in Europe.
Asylum and temporary protection are different legal categories, but both involve people who need accommodation, services, and support. The EUAA said Cyprus shows why both must be considered when comparing the pressure faced by individual countries.
Across the EU’s 27 member states, Norway and Switzerland, about 332,000 asylum applications were filed between January and June. That was 17% fewer than during the same period in 2025 and the lowest first-half total since 2021.
Applications from Venezuelan, Syrian, Colombian, Ukrainian, and Turkish nationals declined, while applications from Sudanese, Bangladeshi, Haitian, and Somali nationals increased.
Afghans submitted the largest number of applications, at about 39,000, followed by Venezuelans with 33,000 and Bangladeshis with 20,000.
Applications from Syrians fell particularly sharply, dropping by 57% to around 11,000.
Most applications do not lead to protection
The report also shows that applying for asylum does not automatically mean being allowed to remain.
Across the EU+, 31% of first-instance decisions resulted in refugee status or subsidiary protection during the first half of the year.
Recognition rates varied widely by nationality. Around 73% of Afghan applicants and 65% of Sudanese applicants received protection, compared with 3% of applicants from Bangladesh and Venezuela and 2% of those from Egypt.
The recognition rate for Syrians dropped to 19%, down from 28% in 2025 and 90% in 2024.
Europe’s backlog remains
Although the number of pending applications declined, Europe’s asylum system is still dealing with a substantial backlog.
Around 770,000 cases were awaiting an initial decision at the end of June. Nearly three-quarters had been pending for more than six months. Once appeals and reviews are included, the EUAA estimates that 1.18 million cases remain unresolved.
The EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum took effect on June 12 and includes faster procedures for some applicants, particularly those from countries considered safe or whose nationals have low recognition rates.
However, the agency cautioned against treating the latest figures as evidence that the pact is already working. Most of the reporting period came before the new rules took effect.
For Cyprus, the headline remains uncomfortable but clear: Europe may be receiving fewer asylum applications overall, yet smaller frontline countries continue to carry a far heavier share in relation to their population.
