The number of people applying for asylum in Belgium increased in 2024. More than half could prove that they were in danger in their origin country. Palestinians top the list of nationalities, with 96% of approved applications.
In 2024, 33,146 new asylum seekers arrived in Belgium, 12% more than in 2023. The number of arrivals is still below the 2015 figure, when around one million people arrived in Europe, over 75% of whom fled conflict and persecution in Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq. However, the peak of 2024 was hit in October: around 4,400 people filed a request, the highest figure since autumn 2015.
When asylum seekers file a request for protection, it is examined by the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS).
In 56% of files, the asylum seeker could prove they faced danger in their country of origin from war or persecution. They are recognised as refugees or given subsidiary protection after investigation. Other applicants receive an order to leave the country.
Palestinians top list
The asylum seekers arriving in Belgium last year came from more than 100 different nationalities. Five countries of origin account for half of the asylum seekers to Belgium. These are:
- Palestinians: 96% of applications were approved
- Syrians: 92% of applications were approved
- Eritreans: 95% of applications were approved
- Turks: 49.5% of applications were approved
- Afghans: 45% of applications were approved
Palestinians and Syrians together accounted for almost a third of all asylum applications. The number of Palestinians from Gaza rose steadily in recent years from around 1,200 in 2021 to just over 5,330 last year. Meanwhile, the number of Afghans seeking asylum dropped from almost 5,800 in 2022, a few months after the Taliban took Kabul, to around 1,870 in 2024.
In one in six cases (almost 6,500 people), it was not the first application. Among Afghans and Georgians, the number of subsequent applications is remarkably high. It is possible to apply for a second or even multiple asylum applications in case new elements emerge, such as better evidence, or a changed situation in the origin country.
'Secondary migration'
Outgoing State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) said that almost half of asylum seekers were registered in another European country – where applications should normally be processed, under the Dublin Regulation – but then travelled on to Belgium.
"We have to make it very clear to people that after a decision in one country, it makes no sense to try again in Belgium," she said. "The European Migration Pact gives us more opportunities to counter that kind of secondary migration." However, NGOs warned that in many EU countries, services are inadequate and inaccessible.
A makeshift camp at Place Flagey to accommodate asylum seekers and demand emergency solutions in September 2023. Credit: Belga / Kristof Van Accom
De Moor also noted that the number of asylum applications in Belgium has to come down substantially with structural reforms, a rhetoric echoed in many EU countries. However, asylum figures fluctuate from year to year and are difficult to predict, as numerous factors impact these figures. Meanwhile, experts agree that migration cannot be "controlled", contrary to promises made by politicians.
Meanwhile, many asylum seekers in Belgium face dire living conditions due to the lack of shelter. Thousands of single male asylum seekers, and sometimes families, were again denied a bed and a roof over their heads in 2024, despite being legally entitled to it. Last year marked the fourth year of the reception crisis.
