Figures released by the Luxembourg Directorate of Immigration on Tuesday have revealed that the number of asylum applications received by Luxembourg in February 2016 dropped by more than half compared with the previous month, from 245 to 119.
The total number of asylum applications that have so far been recorded in 2016 therefore stands at 364, and although this constitutes more than for the same periods of 2014 and 2015 combined, Luxembourg has not experienced such a significant monthly decrease in numbers since 2012, when figures fell from 224 in January to 132 in February.
In February 2016, Kosovo replaced Albania as the most common nationality for European asylum seekers, representing 11 of the 27 overall arriving from this continent. Meanwhile, asylum applications from Iraqis and Syrians experienced a considerable decrease from the previous month, dropping from 72 each in January to 27 and 17, respectively, in February. Whilst Somalian asylum application figures remained the same amongst African submissions, in February Algeria was the country with the most applications from the continent, constituting 2.1% of the overall total.
57 applications, or 38.6%, were awarded recognition of refugee status, against the 44 applications, 18.7%, which were refused international protection. Decisions taken also deemed 81 applications 'incompetent'. 27 people were transferred to another country under the Dublin III Regulation, of which the majority - 19 - were sent to Germany.
Tables by MAEE/Directorate of Immigration
