The number of asylum applications submitted in Britain in 2024 exceeded 108,000, which is a record high number for the country, writes The Times, citing a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In 2024, migrants filed 28% more applications than in 2023 (84,000). Such a high number of applications has not been registered since 1979, when similar statistics began to be kept. The previous record was set in 2002, when 103,000 applications were submitted.
According to the organization, migrants made 44,000 illegal attempts to enter the UK in 2024. They mainly used the services of smugglers who transported them across the English Channel in inflatable boats. In 2023, 38,000 such attempts were recorded.
More than 10,000 illegal migrants arrived in the UK from Pakistan. Afghanistan and Iran follow (8,000 each).
Germany leads the world in the number of applications submitted with 230,000 in 2024. This is 100,000 fewer than the previous year. This is followed by Canada (174,000), Spain (164,000), Italy (151,000), France (131,000) and the United Kingdom. France has seen a decline in applications, while the other countries mentioned have seen an increase.