Germany takes in the most asylum seekers of all EU states, with German authorities issuing almost 160,000 positive decisions in 2022. Although Germany is also the EU’s largest state in terms of population, the number of asylum seekers is still disproportionately high, with Germany issuing 41 percent of all positive asylum decisions last year, according to data from the statistics office Eurostat reported on Thursday.
In fact, no other country even comes close. In second place is France, which approved 13 percent of all asylum applications. Italy was in third with 10 percent, and Spain took in 9 percent. Overall, asylum was granted to 384,245 individuals, representing a 40 percent increase over 2021, when the EU only granted asylum in 275,040 cases.
It is important to remember that Ukrainians are not counted in these statistics. Ukrainians still do not need to apply for asylum but are immediately granted the right to social benefits, education, housing and a work permit. Over 1 million came to Germany in 2022, and more continue to stream in, which has led to a substantial burden on Germany’s finances.
About a third of immigrants with approved applications came from Syria and another 23 percent came from Afghanistan.
Eurostat reported: “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.”
In 2022, the number of migrants in Germany rose again to a new record high, even as a majority of Germans remain opposed to accepting more migrants. Germany’s left-wing government has reacted by pushing for radical reforms that would reduce naturalization times, lower standards for citizenship, and increase social benefits to migrants.
The rate of approval in the EU for all decisions was 49 percent for first instance decisions, Eurostat said.
