Bangladeshi migrants make up 65% of migrant arrivals from January to August

From the beginning of 2023 until 13 August, 231 migrants have entered Malta by sea, according to the UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees.

65% (149) of this year's arrivals came from Bangladesh, followed by 9% (21) from Syria, 8% (19) from Guinea, 7% (17) from Cameroon, 6% (13) from Egypt, 2% (five) from Sudan, and 1% (three each) from Palestine and South Sudan. Additionally, one person's nationality is unclear since his medical condition prevented registration. The organisation stated in a factsheet released on Friday that the total included two medical evacuations.

This represents a threefold increase in arrivals in the same period during 2022, where 75 individuals came to Malta by sea. This number was 458 in 2021 and 2,045 in 2020.

Compared to 65% in 2021 and 80% in 2022, 195 (84%) of the immigrants so far this year have been adult men. Additionally, 9% (20) were children, where only two of whom were accompanied, while 7% (16) were adult women.

As of July 3, there were 210 extra residents living within the community and 227 people living in open reception centres in Malta.

In the first half of 2023, there were 282 applications for asylum; 225 of those were first requests, 54 were follow-ups, and three were reopened or under evaluation.

Syrians, Sudanese, and Bangladeshi nationals were the top three nationalities applying for asylum. Throughout the year, the International Protection Agency has made 1,160 first-instance judgements by June 30. The rejection rate was 36% (421) compared to the recognised rate of 16% (178).

Syrians, Eritreans, and Somalis received international protection after an average of 2.6 years, 2.4 years, and 2.7 years, respectively. It took an average of 2.9 years for Sudanese claims to be denied, 3.3 years for Syrian cases, 2.5 years for Somali cases, and roughly 54 days for Bangladeshi cases.

Up to August 13th, Malta has issued 420 temporary protection certificates to eligible people who were escaping the conflict in Ukraine.

Since February 2022, 2,055 certificates have been distributed in total.

With the exception of three candidates—an adult woman and adult man from Russia, as well as an adult man from Georgia—the majority of applicants in 2023 were of Ukrainian descent.