The number of people applying for asylum in the European Union fell by 11% in April compared with the same month last year, according to new figures from the EU’s
statistics agency.
A total of 42,960 first-time asylum applicants from non-EU countries sought international protection across EU member states in April 2026, down from 48,465 in April 2025. The figure was also 9% lower than in March 2026, when 47,155 first-time applications were recorded.
The latest monthly data from Eurostat shows that while new asylum claims declined, the number of people making repeat applications increased. Some 9,145 subsequent asylum applications were registered in April, 17% higher than a year earlier, but 9% lower than in March.
Venezuelans top list of asylum seekers
People from Venezuela made up the largest group of first-time asylum applicants in April, with 4,875 applications recorded.
They were followed by:
Afghanistan – 3,830 applicants
Bangladesh – 2,630 applicants
Sudan – 1,720 applicants
The figures mark a shift in the composition of asylum seekers arriving in Europe, with Venezuelan nationals becoming the largest single group seeking protection during the month.
Four EU countries received most applications
The majority of first-time asylum claims were concentrated in four EU countries.
Italy received the highest number of applications, with 9,710, followed by:
France – 8,645
Spain – 8,350
Germany – 6,140
Together, these four countries accounted for around 76% of all first-time asylum applications recorded across the EU in April.
Across the bloc, there were 9.5 first-time asylum applicants per 100,000 people.
When adjusted for population size, Greece recorded the highest rate, with 26.1 applicants per 100,000 residents, followed by Luxembourg (20.6) and Ireland (18.7).
Hundreds of unaccompanied children seek protection
Eurostat said 930 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU during April.
The largest groups of unaccompanied children came from:
Somalia – 190
Afghanistan – 100
Sudan – 75
Egypt – 75
Venezuela – 55
The figures provide a snapshot of migration pressures facing European countries as governments continue to balance asylum responsibilities with efforts to manage irregular migration. Photo by Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia commons.