Austria reports plunge in asylum applications in 2017

The number of asylum applications made in Austria has seen a sharp-58.5 per cent decline in 2017, the interior ministry revealed in new statistics on Thursday.

The total 24,735 applications represent a significant slowing down from the much higher numbers that came on the back of the refugee waves into Europe in 2015 and 2016, Xinhua reported.

Syrian nationals made up the highest proportion of applicants, at 30 per cent of the total, followed by Afghans on 15 per cent. Both of these also had the highest approval rates for their applications, Syrians with 92 per cent, and Afghans with 47 per cent.

Pakistanis, Nigerians, Iraqis, and Russians made up the next-largest groups of applicants, on six per cent each.

The ministry figures also noted that 51 percent of the applications processed last year were approved.

--IANS

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