Asylum Applications in Belgium Fell in Late 2018

The number of asylum applications in Belgium fell sharply during November and December 2018 after former Asylum and Migration Minister Theo Francken introduced a measure limiting the number of asylum seekers who could be received to 50 people per day, although families and people with medical needs were taken into consideration, according to reports from the time.

The number of asylum applications then began to rise again after Maggie De Block took over as the new minister responsible for migration.

In October 2018, Belgium recorded 2,750 asylum applications, while the number fell to 1,942 in November. The decline continued in December, when 1,253 asylum applications were recorded in Belgium.

Asylum Applications in Belgium

On November 20, Theo Francken proposed limiting the daily reception of asylum seekers to 50 people, with exceptions being considered for families and people with medical conditions. The measure came as Belgium was dealing with a significant number of asylum applications and pressure on the country’s reception system.

The figures from the final months of 2018 show a clear decline in asylum applications compared with October, although the number later increased after the change in the country’s migration leadership.

Belgium Asylum Application Statistics

Belgium saw significant changes in the number of asylum applications over the years, with the figures rising and falling considerably depending on the period.

In 2008, Belgium recorded 15,934 asylum applications, while the number increased to 22,954 in 2009. In 2010, the figure reached 26,559, followed by another increase to 32,271 in 2011.

The number then fell to 28,351 in 2012 and continued to decline to 21,222 in 2013. In 2014, Belgium recorded 22,848 asylum applications before the number rose sharply during the European migration crisis.

In 2015, the number of asylum applications in Belgium reached 44,760, marking the highest figure in the period covered by these statistics. The number then dropped significantly to 18,710 in 2016 before increasing slightly to 19,988 in 2017.

In 2018, Belgium recorded 23,443 asylum applications, showing another increase compared with the previous year.