Iceland has seen a significant drop in the arrival of asylum seekers and applications for asylum have dropped by more than 50% year on year, RÚV reports. The biggest drop is in applications from Venezuela.
Just over 1,400 asylum seekers came to Iceland in the first eight months of 2024, compared to nearly 3,000 during the same period in 2023. Most come from Ukraine, nearly 1,000. Iceland has granted Ukrainians temporary visas since the Russian invasion of the country began in February 2022.
See also: Justice Minister Seeks to Extends Protection for Ukrainians
Asylum applications from Venezuelans have dropped dramatically: last year, they numbered 1,500, but so far this year only 160 have been submitted. For several years, Iceland’s government provided additional protection to almost all Venezuelans who sought asylum in the country. Last year, Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration decided to withdraw that additional protection. Following this decision and several negative rulings on asylum applications from Venezuelan nationals, applications from the country began decreasing.
After Ukraine and Venezuela, most asylum applications submitted in Iceland come from Palestine, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Justice Minister proposes detention centres
Human rights groups have criticized the Icelandic government for increasingly harsh legislation on asylum seekers. Legislation passed in Iceland’s Parliament in early 2023 strips asylum seekers of essential services after their applications have received a final rejection, unless they consent to deportation. Iceland’s Justice Minister Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir has proposed establishing detention centres for asylum seekers and stated she will submit a bill proposing further changes to the Foreign Nationals Act this fall.
