Malta only upheld 15.1 per cent of protection applications by migrants last year, the second lowest rate in the European Union, officials figures issued on Monday show.

The figures also showed that boat landings by migrants in Malta were down by almost half last year compared to 2021.

The National Statistics Office said that during 2022, a total of 10 boat landings were recorded in Malta, with 445 persons being brought to shores (including persons airlifted at sea), a decrease of 46.9 per cent when compared to 2021.

Boats landings in Malta with irregular immigrants.Boats landings in Malta with irregular immigrants.

The majority of persons brought to shore were from Asian countries (90.6 per cent), while the remaining 9.4 per cent were African. September saw the highest recorded number of persons being brought to shore, 176 individuals, followed by arrivals in November and August, at 116 and 84 individuals, respectively.

Applications for international protection

During 2022, a total of 1,318 applications for international protection (excluding temporary protection) were received by the International Protection Agency, a decrease of 17.4 per cent over the preceding year.

When analysing asylum applications per million resident population across the  EU, Malta had the eleventh highest rate per capita within the EU, with Cyprus having the highest number of applications per capita in 2022.

Slightly over half of the applicants were African (54.5 per cent). 21.2 per cent of the total applicants in 2022 were Syrian, followed by Eritrean and Sudanese citizens, at 8.5 per cent and 7.9 per cent, respectively. Slightly over half of the applicants (56 per cent) were men aged between 18 and 34.

During 2022, the IPA processed 1,271 applications of which 15.1 per cent were accepted at first instance, while the remaining applications were rejected. When compared to other EU member states, this ranked Malta second lowest with respect to the share of positive first-instance decisions on applications processed in 2022, the NSO said.

Estonia had the highest share of positive first decisions at 95.9 per cent with Cyprus having the lowest share of positive decisions at 6.3 per cent.

Malta had the second-highest rejection rate of protection applications in the EU last year.Malta had the second-highest rejection rate of protection applications in the EU last year.

Final rejected decisions on applications for protection.Final rejected decisions on applications for protection.

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