Afghans, the main asylum seekers in Albania/ Applications from foreign citizens fell by 60% in 2024. Syrians, the second largest group
Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis are the foreign nationals who seek asylum the most in Albania. According to the Annual Migration Profile, 2024 showed an overall decrease in the number of asylum seekers and a change in their composition, after 2023 which was a year of increased asylum requests, especially from Afghanistan and Syria.
The downward trend over the past year reflects the dynamics of political and humanitarian situations in countries of origin, as well as various factors that influence migratory movements towards Albania.
In the period 2022–2024, the number of asylum seekers in Albania has undergone significant changes, both in volume and composition by country of origin. In 2022, a total of 125 asylum seekers were registered, a number that almost doubled in 2023, reaching 261 people, only to decrease again to 104 asylum seekers in 2024.
The countries with the largest number of asylum seekers during this period were Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. Afghans accounted for around 29% of the total in 2022 and increased significantly to more than 60% of asylum seekers in 2023. However, in 2024 there was a significant decrease in them, again accounting for around 32% of the total, but remaining the largest group of asylum seekers.
The number of asylum seekers from Syria also fell to 17, but again shows a continued presence. Asylum seekers from Iraq increased in 2023, but more moderately compared to Afghanistan and Syria, and then fell to just 8 in 2024.
So, asylum seekers come mainly from countries with an unstable political situation or internal conflicts. But from countries in external conflicts, how do asylum requests appear in Albania?
Ukraine had a significant presence in 2022 with 27 asylum seekers, but their number dropped significantly in subsequent years, reflecting changes in migratory movements.
During the past year, new countries with small numbers of asylum seekers have emerged, such as Argentina, Armenia, Cameroon and Kazakhstan, indicating a diversification of the origin of asylum seekers, although on a smaller scale.
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