Even during a pandemic year, the number of the Albanians applying for asylum in the European Union is second in the world, in relation to the population. According to the latest data from the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), in 20220 6,600 applications and re-applications by Albanian citizens were made in the member states of the European Union. Although these numbers suggest that the number of applications dropped by 70% compared to 2019 as a result of the pandemic, nevertheless it is concerning that Albania continues to be one of the biggest exporters of asylum seekers in the EU in relation to population, coming second only to Syria. According to EASO, Albania had 2,300 applications per 1 million inhabitants, while Syria had 4,000 applications for 1 million inhabitants, followed by Algeria with 1858 applications per 1 million inhabitants, and Afghanistan with 1277 applications per 1 million inhabitants. From the Western Balkans Kosovo was ranked fifth in the world for asylum seekers in relation to the population.
During April and May of 2020, when most of the countries of the EU were experiencing heavy lockdowns, Albanian citizens sent respectively 146 and 90 applications for asylum. During the following months that number increased significantly, especially in September and October, with over 600 applications. Compared to the Western Balkans, Albania continues to be the country with the highest number of asylum seekers. Serbia for 2020 had 2,600 asylum seekers, Kosovo 2,100, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,300, North Macedonia 1,230 and Montenegro 207.
