The number of people who applied for asylum in the Netherlands increased dramatically last year.

In 2022, 35.535 requests for asylum were submitted, which is the highest number since 2015, "NL Times" reported. Compared to 2021, the number of requests has increased by 43,6 percent.

Asylum requests have been on a slight rise since September.

According to the data of the Dutch Statistics Agency (CBS), the most asylum seekers are from Syria, as in previous years. More than a third of asylum seekers are Syrians, followed by Afghans, Turks and Yemenis.

The number of requests for family reunification is also increasing. Last year, 10.930 people submitted such requests, mainly Syrians and Turks.

Due to the war in Ukraine, the number of refugees from Ukraine has also increased sharply. Last year, 1.060 people from Ukraine applied for asylum in the Netherlands, compared to 70 the year before and 40 applicants in 2020. Most Ukrainians do not have to seek asylum in the Netherlands, they can stay in the country based on European regulations.

At the same time, last year 590 Russians requested asylum in the Netherlands.