Asylum applications decline in Sweden despite EU increase

The number of asylum seekers in the European Union increased by 18 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. However, she noted that the trend this year is not as dramatic, with a slight decrease of 2 percent in the first half of 2024.

In Sweden, the total number of asylum applications reached 12,500 in 2023, marking the second-lowest level since the year 2000. During the first half of 2024, there were only 5,600 registered asylum applications, representing a significant decline of 27 percent compared to the previous period.

Despite the drop in Sweden, the overall number of asylum seekers at the EU level remains high, indicating ongoing challenges in the migration landscape. Stenergard emphasized that Sweden continues to see a downward trend in asylum applications, which is at a historically low level.