Asylum seeker numbers to Greece drop by more than 60%

The number of asylum seekers in the northeastern Aegean islands dropped by 67 percent and the number of pending issues in the Asylum Service by 59 percent but at the same time the migration flow increased by 53 percent and the requests for asylum by 12 percent in June 2022, according to the Migration and Asylum Ministry's monthly data.

The largest drop in number of asylum seekers hosted in the islands' structures was recorded on Lesvos (74 percent) followed by Chios (68 percent) and Samos (64 percent).

The total number of people hosted in structures throughout Greece was reduced by 58 percent in June in comparison with the same month in 2021.

A total of 818 people left from Greece in June 2022 with destination other European countries or for relocation or third countries via the voluntary return and or deportation mechanisms. The departures in the first six months of 2022 reached 4,183.

The valid residence permits of third countries citizens in June 2022 were 470,331, down 29 percent in comparison with June 2021.

The golden visas permits were 10,262 in June 2022 with Chinese investors holding the first place with 65.6 percent followed by Turkish nationals (6.5 percent) and Russians (4.7 percent).

Finally, 15,137 Ukrainians arrived in Greece in June 2022, 25 percent of them are minors. The arrivals of Ukrainian refugees in June were increased by 74 percent in comparison with May 2022. A total of 47,726 Ukrainians have arrived in Greece since the start of the war in Ukraine.