Asylum claims plummet in 2025 as deportations to conflict zones resume

Asylum applications in 2025 fell sharply compared to previous years. By November, numbers had dropped by 35 percent from the same period in 2024. At the same time, deportations resumed to countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia for the first time in decades.

Over the first eleven months of 2025, only 1,012 asylum claims were recorded in November—a 46 percent decline from the monthly average. Afghans remained the largest group seeking protection, with 4,843 applications. Syrians followed with 3,865 claims, while Somalis lodged 931.

Recognition rates varied significantly. Three-quarters of Afghan applicants received asylum, the highest approval rate. Syrians, however, had just a 22 percent success rate, though 1,140 were granted subsidiary protection instead. Nearly 12,000 protection statuses were issued in total during this period. Removals also increased, with 12,883 people leaving the country by November. Over half of these departures were voluntary. The year marked a return of deportations to Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia—countries that had not seen forced returns in decades.

The drop in applications and rise in removals reflect a shift in migration patterns. Afghan applicants saw the highest approval rates, while Syrians often received alternative forms of protection. Deportations to previously restricted countries have now resumed after years of suspension.