Last year, Euskadi recorded 7,048 applicants for international protection. Despite a downward trend, Bizkaia remains the focal point for these applications, trailing only Madrid and Barcelona nationwide.
Refugee support organizations have warned that this decline does not stem from a lack of need, but rather from stricter border controls in Europe and the implementation of Spain's new Immigration Regulation, which has created significant barriers for applicants.
The new rules prevent asylum waiting periods from counting toward residency regularization, forcing applicants to start from scratch if their claim is rejected. This policy has led to a sharp drop in applications from countries such as Colombia and Peru.
Additionally, the asylum recognition rate in Spain has fallen to 11.2%. Concerns are also mounting over the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which authorizes returns to third countries and extended detentions, further complicating the situation for those seeking safety.
