Decline in Asylum Applications from Syrians in Austria

Following a shift in power in Damascus and a halt in the processing of Syrian asylum applications, the number of such requests in Austria has continued to decline significantly. In February, there were 1,397 applications submitted, representing a decrease of 37% compared to the same month in 2024. This marks the lowest level of applications since 2020.

The decline is particularly evident among Syrian applicants. In February, only 315 asylum requests were filed, which is just slightly more than half of the 618 applications submitted in January. When compared to February of the previous year, when 1,308 Syrian asylum applications were made, the current numbers illustrate a stark reduction. Currently, only a limited number of Syrian asylum requests are being processed. So far this year, merely 39 individuals have been granted asylum status, in stark contrast to 860 Afghan applicants who received the same recognition. Overall, 1,240 asylum cases have been resolved positively in 2025, alongside an additional 444 residence permits granted either for subsidiary protection or other significant reasons.

In February, Afghanistan remained the leading country of origin for asylum seekers, as it was in January, with 568 applications filed. Of these, only 120 were new requests; the remainder consisted of follow-up applications or those from children born in Austria. A recent ruling by the European Court of Justice has influenced this trend, leading Afghan women, who no longer require an individual procedure for their cases, to often apply for asylum following the grant of only subsidiary protection.

In total, there have been 3,315 asylum applications submitted this year, compared to 4,489 during the same period last year. Notably, nearly 52% of the applicants are minors.

The situation regarding family reunification, which the government has temporarily suspended, has also seen minimal progress. In February, only 60 entries for the purpose of family reunification were recorded, a steep decline from almost 1,000 in the same month of the previous year. This is largely due to the fact that while Syrian applications are still accepted, they are generally not processed immediately.

On an international scale, the EU recorded 131,056 asylum applications by the end of February, reflecting a 19% drop compared to the previous year. In terms of population size, Austria ranks ninth in the EU regarding asylum requests, as per the Interior Ministry's statistics.

In a slightly positive development, the situation concerning basic provisions for asylum seekers appears to be easing. Currently, around 66,000 individuals are receiving support, marking a decrease of approximately 1,500 since the beginning of the year. Of those in basic care, 55% are Ukrainians. If Ukrainian asylum seekers were excluded from the count, the figures would align more closely with the levels observed in 2020 and 2021, prior to the onset of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.