Nicosia:Cyprus recorded the second-highest number of asylum applications relative to its population among EU+ countries in the first half of 2026, despite an overall 17% decline in applications for international protection across Europe.

According to Cyprus News Agency, the mid-year review published by the EUAA showed Cyprus with 1,732 applications per million inhabitants, compared to an EU+ average of 710. Cyprus ranked just behind Greece, which recorded 2,254 applications per million inhabitants.

Additionally, Cyprus was notable for its high proportion of beneficiaries of temporary protection, hosting 27 beneficiaries per 1,000 inhabitants by the end of June 2026. The EUAA emphasized the importance of considering both asylum applications and other forms of protection when comparing data across European countries.

The EUAA press release reported that EU+ countries received a total of approximately 332,000 applications for international protection between January and June 2026. This marked a 17% decrease compared to the same period in 2025 and was the lowest first-half total since 2021.

The mid-year review titled 'Latest Asylum Trends: Mid-Year Review 2026' attributed the overall decline mainly to fewer applications from nationals of Venezuela, Syria, Colombia, Ukraine, and Turkey. Conversely, there were increases in applications from nationals of Sudan, Bangladesh, Haiti, and Somalia.