Malta receives fewest asylum requests since 2010, EU report finds

Malta recorded the lowest number of asylum applications since 2010 in 2024, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)’s annual report.

The report revealed that Malta received 439 asylum applications last year, which marks a 40 per cent decrease compared to 2023, when 729 applications were submitted.

Across the EU, asylum applications dropped by 11 per cent overall.

The countries with the highest number of asylum applications per capita were Cyprus, Greece, and Ireland, respectively. In absolute numbers, the top recipients were Germany (237,314), Spain (165,767), and Italy (158,867).

Per capita, Malta ranked 18th among EU countries for the number of applications it received in 2024. 

In Malta, the majority of applicants were Syrian nationals, accounting for 44 per cent of total applications. The next largest groups were Colombians (6 per cent) and Bangladeshis (5 per cent).

The report also stated that this is the fifth year in a row that the number of asylum applications has decreased in Malta.

These findings complement recent data shared by the Malta Migration Archive, which found that rescues of migrant boats by Malta’s armed forces dropped by 90 per cent since 2020.

The data also found that interceptions by Libyan militia forces surged by a staggering 230 per cent.

All this suggests is that both asylum applications and rescues have consistently decreased since Malta signed a secretive migration coordination deal with Libya in 2020.

Despite the overall drop in applications, Malta granted refugee status to 50 individuals in 2024, up from just 18 in 2023.

“Throughout 2024, Malta was vocal at the European level in highlighting the importance of effective border management, impeding irregular journeys and strengthening strategic cooperation with third countries, with an emphasis on returns and fighting smuggling networks,” the report said.

The report added how Malta sought to combat organised crime and human trafficking by collaborating with Libya.

Meanwhile, the report also flagged how civil society organisations voiced their concerns over detention conditions in Malta and its search and rescue matters.

The report added that several UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies issued recommendations urging Malta to prevent arbitrary detention, uphold the principle of non-refoulement, facilitate prompt search and rescue missions, ensure safe and swift disembarkation, and support humanitarian rescue efforts.

The report noted that the Maltese government rebutted many of these allegations.