2016 saw a nearly 100% increase in the number of asylum seekers granted refugee status in Belgium: from 6,757 in 2015 to 12,197. The increase was already high last year as "only" 4,805 were granted protection in 2014. This record number is a consequence of a equally large number of asylum applications submitted in 2015 in the context of the "migration crisis".
In addition to the 12,000+ recognised refugees, 3,281 people received subsidiary protection, reveals a report by the General Commissariat for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRA) which has processed and ruled on double as many cases (22,207). Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and Somalians are among the most represented groups.
2016, however, also saw a proportionally comparable decline in terms of asylum applications: 18,710 last year compared to 44,760 in 2015. A number of these applications have resulted in repatriations, as 10,907 foreigners returned to their country of origin or the country where they entered the European Union (Dublin Regulation). Among these returnees, one finds some 1,595 foreign criminals, nearly 1.000 more than in 2014, has announced extreme right Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken (N-VA).
Up-to-date statistics on Asylum
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