Number of asylum applications from Albanian citizens in Europe and the United Kingdom has increased significantly in 2022, marking the highest levels since 2015.

According to the official data of the European Asylum Office (EUAA), which reports asylum applications for the 27 countries of the European Union, the total applications for asylum in these 27 countries were 13 thousand, with an increase of 16% compared to the previous year.

As of December 2019, the EUAA reports data for the 27 countries of the European Union, excluding the United Kingdom (UK). The latter reports the data separately. Official data on immigration from the UK Government, processed by "Monitor" showed that in 2022, 18,591 Albanian citizens sought asylum in Britain, setting a historical record.

In total, for the EU-27 and the United Kingdom, asylum applications in 2022 reached 31.6 thousand people, which is the highest number since 2015 and marks a doubling compared to 2021 (taking both regions of together).

In 2015, a record number of applications in EU countries (which at that time included the United Kingdom) of 68,000 people was recorded.

The figure was halved a year later and fluctuated at the level of 22-25 thousand people in 2017-2019. The pandemic year stopped the momentum, while from 2021 the growth started again, to reach in 2022 the highest level since 2015, where the main effect was given by the high flow towards the United Kingdom.

This is only the figure of those who have declared themselves to have fled and sought international protection, while the real number of people who have left is practically immeasurable, as there are many who flee with work contracts, mainly in Germany, or who do not declare that they will not return and remain undeclared.

The emigration of recent years is becoming a major concern for the economy, affecting both the labor force and consumption.

There is a clear preference towards the United Kingdom, where nearly 60% of total EU+UK asylum applications in 2022 are recorded.

The data show that the number of asylum seekers from Albania has increased four times compared to 2021, where only 4,574 Albanians applied for asylum.

Of the 18,600 asylum applications in the United Kingdom that were made in 2022, according to official UK data compiled by Monitor, around 13,000, or 71%, arrived in small boats, putting their lives at risk.

In total, about 45 thousand people entered the United Kingdom in small boats in 2022, where almost 30% of them were Albanian citizens.

According to the British government report, "In 2022, almost half of small boat arrivals were from these 2 nationalities - Albanians (28%) and Afghans (20%). Albanians were more prominent from July to September 2022, while Afghans became more prominent from October to December 2022.

From July to September 2022, 45% of small boat arrivals were Albanian (9037). However, in October to December 2022, only 9% of small boat arrivals were Albanian (1,099).

Afghans were the main nationality for small boat arrivals in these 3 months, 33% of arrivals (3,834)”.

(Source: Monitor)