The French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) announced that France received 142,500 asylum applications in 2023, marking an 8.6% increase compared to 2022.
According to the report, ‘In 2023, nearly 142,500 applications for international protection were submitted to OFPRA.’
This represents an 8.6% increase from 2022, as noted by the organization.
The largest number of refugees came from Afghanistan (17,500 applications), followed by Bangladesh (8,600), Turkey (8,500), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (8,000).
The report also highlighted the influx of refugees to French Guiana, a French overseas department in Latin America, which saw a 102% increase in asylum seekers compared to the previous year. The majority of these were citizens from Haiti (28%), Syria (21%), and Afghanistan (19%).
The number of asylum seekers in France has been steadily increasing.
According to a report by the Forum réfugiés association published last June, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in France increased by 31% in 2022 compared to 2021.
There were 137,000 applications received. The total number of applications for documents reached 168,699.
The association indicates that over 56,000 people were granted asylum, a record number for legitimate asylum seekers this year.
France has recently implemented a new immigration bill that introduces significant changes to its immigration and asylum policies. The government is now required to annually report detailed immigration statistics to parliament. Non-EU workers must reside in France for 30 months to qualify for welfare benefits, while non-working foreigners need a five-year residency. The bill also revises state medical care access for non-EU illegal residents. It allows non-EU workers in certain labor-deficient sectors to apply for residency and work permits under specific conditions. Changes to birthright citizenship now require children of foreign parents born in France to request citizenship. The legislation allows for the withdrawal of French nationality from dual nationals convicted of specific crimes. Additionally, the rules for family reunification are tightened, including longer waiting periods and stricter income requirements. This bill reflects a significant shift in France’s approach to immigration and asylum.
