The reported 332,000 new asylum applications across the , Norway, and Switzerland in the first half of 2026. This represents a 17 percent decrease from 2025, marking the lowest semi-annual figure recorded since 2021.
Nationalities leading the applications include Afghans with 39,000, Venezuelans with 33,000, and Bangladeshis with 20,000. France received the most claims at 69,000, followed by Italy with 66,000, while Spain and Germany each recorded 55,000 applications.
The data shows shifting regional pressures, with Switzerland seeing 1,067 applications per million residents. Austria recorded 4,903 total claims, primarily from Syrians, Afghans, and Somalis, resulting in a rate of 532 applications per million people.