In 2023, Spain's notable Office of Asylum and Residency (OAR) achieved a significant milestone by successfully resolving 92,963 cases. This remarkable accomplishment included the granting of status to 1,022 stateless individuals - those who do not hold citizenship in any country. Additionally, the OAR provided temporary protection to a substantial number of over 33,900 individuals. These people were notably displaced due to the ongoing Russian occupation of Ukraine, a situation that has drawn considerable international attention and concern.

During this same period, the OAR, operating under the auspices of Spain's Interior Ministry, received an unprecedented 163,218 applications seeking international protection. This figure represents a substantial 37 per cent increase from the previous year, setting a new record since the establishment of the office in 1992, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo.com. The surge in applications clearly indicates the growing global challenges and the critical role of national asylum systems in addressing them.

As of December 31, 2023, Spain emerged as the third-highest recipient of applications for international protection within the European Union, according to provisional data. This position underscores Spain's significant role in the EU's broader response to global migration and asylum issues.

Diversity of Applicants

An analysis of the nationalities of the applicants reveals a diverse array of origins. Leading the list is Venezuela, with 60,534 applications, which constitutes 37 per cent of the total. It is closely followed by Colombia, 53,564 applications, and Peru, 14,306. These three nations account for a striking 78.6 per cent of all applications processed by the OAR.

In a notable regional breakdown, the Community of Madrid emerged as the leading region regarding international protection applications, with 52,684 submissions. It was followed by Andalusia, with 25,948 applications, and Catalonia, with 14,775. In resolving these cases, the Ministry of the Interior closed 92,963 international protection files, an increase of 1.8 per cent from the previous year.

Significant Granting of Refugee Status

Furthermore, 2023 saw a record-setting number of 7,521 refugee statuses granted by the OAR. This number represented 26.5 per cent of all the statuses given since 2012, totalling 28,232. The primary nationalities benefiting from this status were individuals from Afghanistan, Syria, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Honduras. In addition, subsidiary protection was extended to 3,850 individuals, primarily from Mali. In a humanitarian gesture, 41,478 citizens, mainly Venezuelans, were awarded one-year residence and work permits.

The recognition rates for refugee status and subsidiary protection stood at 12.23 per cent, with an overall international protection rate of 56.85 per cent.

The OAR received 953 applications to recognise stateless person status in the same year and successfully resolved 1,022 such cases. As defined by the OAR, the process of statelessness is a critical mechanism to identify individuals among applicants who are not recognised as nationals by any state, in line with international laws. These individuals declare their lack of nationality following the stipulations outlined in the Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, convened in New York on September 28, 1954.

Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Displacees

Significantly, in 2023, the OAR extended temporary protection to 33,928 individuals affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It brought the total number of Spanish residents covered by this measure to nearly 195,000, highlighting Spain's commitment to providing refuge and support to those affected by international crises.

In reflecting on these efforts, the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, commended Spain for its "extraordinary effort" in international protection. The country surpassed 163,000 applications in 2023, marking the highest number in the nation's history since establishing the OAR in 1992. The Minister also emphasised a remarkable increase of 3,500 per cent in applications compared to a decade ago, in 2013, illustrating the dramatic escalation in the need for international protection and Spain's responsive actions to this global challenge.