Refugee accommodations in NRW are experiencing decreased occupancy rates
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the number of asylum applications has seen a significant drop in the first seven months of 2025, compared to the same period last year. The decrease represents a substantial decline in the number of refugees arriving or applying for asylum in NRW.
According to recent data, over 42,100 people arrived in NRW in the whole of 2024. However, the number of asylum applications decreased from 45,280 in all of 2024 to 13,435 in the first seven months of 2025. This marks a decrease of over 70%.
Several factors might have contributed to this decrease. One such factor is increased political attention and measures addressing migration and asylum. In early 2025, there were migration policy debates at the federal level, with parties like the CDU pushing resolutions to limit migrant intake. This could have impacted arrivals or applications.
Another factor is the strain on accommodation facilities. The NRW government reported very high police call-outs to asylum accommodations, with 15,825 in 2024 and 6,797 in the first half of 2025. This suggests serious challenges in managing asylum seekers and possible efforts to reduce inflows or improve control over arrivals.
The broader context also plays a role. Although not directly noted for 2024-2025, past pandemic-related disruptions and stricter border control measures during COVID-19 affected refugee movements, possibly contributing to ongoing fluctuations in refugee numbers.
By the end of July 2025, over 13,200 people were allocated through the nationwide quota system for distributing those seeking protection in NRW. The number of asylum seekers allocated through this system in NRW by the end of July 2025 is less than half of the total for the whole of 2024. The number of asylum seekers allocated through the nationwide quota system in NRW by the end of July 2025 is less than 14,000.
The number of asylum seekers arriving in NRW in August 2025 is not yet available. However, preliminary calculations indicate a 46% decrease in the influx of asylum seekers in NRW compared to the whole of 2024. It is expected that the number of asylum seekers arriving in NRW in August 2025 might be lower than any month of 2024, and possibly less than 14,000.
The total number of asylum seekers arriving in NRW for the entire year 2025 (as of August) is not yet available. The decrease in the number of asylum seekers arriving in NRW between July and August 2025 is not yet known. The total number of asylum seekers allocated through the nationwide quota system in NRW for the entire year 2025 (as of August) is not yet available.
The decrease in the number of asylum seekers arriving in NRW is substantial and continues to be a topic of interest and discussion among policymakers and the public. Further data and analysis will provide a clearer picture of the trends in asylum seeker arrivals in NRW for the rest of 2025.
In the context of a decrease in asylum applications in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) for the first seven months of 2025, it's worth noting that increased political attention and measures addressing migration and asylum may have played a significant role. For instance, migration policy debates at the federal level, with parties like the CDU pushing resolutions to limit migrant intake, could have impacted arrivals or applications.
General news outlets might also find the ongoing discussion among policymakers and the public about the decline in the number of asylum seekers in NRW an interesting topic for further coverage, given the preliminary calculations suggesting a 46% decrease in August's influx compared to the whole of 2024.
