Decline in asylum approvals in Cyprus in 2022

In 2022, EU countries granted protection status to 384,245 asylum seekers, up by 40% compared with 2021 (275,040), while in Cyprus there was a total of 580 cases where protection was granted (compared to 2,305 in 2021), according to data published by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.

Out of a total of 580 persons that received protection status in Cyprus last year, 580 were approved through first-instance decisions (compared to 2,290 in 2021) and 10 received protection status after an appeal or review (15 in 2021).

In total, in 2022 there had been 8,995 new applications and 4,255 appeals or reviews (a total of 13,250 applications that year), while in 2021 there were 12,270 new applications and 2,605 appeals or reviews (a total of 14,875 applications).

This means that the number of applications declined slightly in 2022 compared to 2021, but that the share of positive decisions declined significantly (2,305 positive decisions out of a total of 14,875 applications in 2021, compared to 580 positive decisions out of a total of 13,250 applications in 2022).

Among the 384,245 asylum seekers who were granted protection status in 2022 in the EU, 44% received refugee status, 31% were given subsidiary protection, and 25% received humanitarian protection.

Compared with 2021, the number of refugee status granted increased by 22%, subsidiary protection was up by 48%, and humanitarian protection registered the highest increase with 72%.

The highest number of people who received protection status was reported by Germany (159,365 or 41% of the EU total), ahead of France (49,990 or 13%), Italy (39,660 or 10%), and Spain (35,765 or 9%). Together, these four countries granted 73% of the protection requests at the EU level.

The full data (including on Cyprus and regarding also the origin of asylum seekers) is available for both applications of first instance and reviews or appeals through links included in an article on Eurostat’s website https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/DDN-20230427-1.

The main beneficiaries are Syrians, Afghans

The largest group who obtained protection status in the EU in 2022 were Syrians (29% of the total number of people granted protection status in the EU). They were followed by Afghans (23%) and Venezuelans (6%).

The majority of Syrians (68%) and Afghans (55%) were granted protection status in Germany, while almost all Venezuelans (92%) were granted protection status in Spain.

49% of decisions at first instance in the EU resulted in protection status

In 2022, 632,360 first-instance decisions on asylum applications were made in the EU, and a further 218,260 final decisions following an appeal or review. Decisions made at the first instance resulted in 310,400 grants of protection status, while another 73,845 people received protection status after an appeal or review.

The recognition rate at the EU level, i.e. the share of all positive decisions among the total number of decisions, was 49% for first-instance decisions. For final decisions in appeal or review, the recognition rate was 34%. These rates include both international (i.e. refugee status and subsidiary protection) and national protection status (humanitarian protection based on national legislation).

Among the top 10 citizenships that received first-instance decisions in 2022, Syrians (94%), Afghans (85%) and Venezuelans (76%) had the highest recognition rates, while Colombians and Georgians (both 8%) and Bangladeshis (11%) had the lowest.

For final instance decisions after an appeal or review in 2022, the citizenships with the highest recognition rates were Syrians (80%), Afghans (75%) and Iranians (44%), while the lowest recognition rates were registered among Georgians (8%), Bangladeshis (16%) and Pakistanis (21%).