Austria recorded 6,512 asylum applications through August, with the full-year total projected to fall just under 10,000 for the first time since 1997. This represents a decrease of nearly 5,400 applications compared to the same period in the previous year.
Minors submitted 3,300 applications, forming the majority of applicants. While 2,483 were original filings from new arrivals, most Syrian and Afghan claims were not original. So far, 4,333 people received asylum and 3,657 gained subsidiary protection status.
The Interior Ministry credits disrupted smuggling routes for the decline, noting a shift toward the Balkan coast. By September, 10,440 people left Austria, mostly via forced removals, while 41,600 remain in basic care, including 60 percent from Ukraine.