Abu Dhabi: Austria has recorded a notable decline in the number of asylum applications, with February witnessing a 37 percent drop compared to the same period last year, bringing the total to 1,397 applications.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum attributes the decrease primarily to the Austrian government’s decision to suspend the processing of asylum applications submitted by Syrian nationals, except in exceptional cases. This measure was accompanied by a freeze on all family reunification requests for Syrian refugees residing in Austria.
Recent official statistics show that Afghan nationals topped the list of asylum seekers in February, with 568 applications submitted.