Belgium witnessed a record surge in asylum applications in 2024, with 39,615 people seeking international protection—the highest number since the 2015 refugee crisis. Applications from
Palestinians showed a particularly sharp rise.
The 2024 figure represents a nearly 12% increase compared to 2023. October alone accounted for 4,383 applications, marking the most significant monthly increase in nearly a decade.
Top countries of origin
Palestine, Syria, Eritrea, and Turkey were the primary countries of origin for asylum seekers. Applications from Palestinians rose dramatically by 74%, while those from Syrians increased by 33%.
Secondary migration challenges
Outgoing Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor highlighted the persistent issue of secondary migration. Nearly half of all asylum applicants had already registered in another EU country before arriving in Belgium.
De Moor emphasized the importance of reforms under the European Migration Pact to address this challenge: “We must send a clear message that reapplying in Belgium after receiving a decision in another EU country is futile.”
System overload and backlogs
Belgium’s asylum system remains under significant strain. Despite the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) issuing a record 34,052 decisions in 2024, a backlog of over 26,000 cases persisted at the year’s end—unchanged from 2023 but more than double the figure recorded in 2021.
This backlog has exacerbated the shelter crisis, leaving thousands of single male asylum seekers without access to basic necessities such as accommodation and food. Photo by Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia commons.