The countries covered are Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta with data on arrivals, asylum, resettlement, and relocation. A part on youth and young adults’ experiences during the journey from DTM surveys in Spain and the Western Balkans is also included.

Below are some highlights:

• In 2022, about 35,200 children arrived in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta (18% girls and 82% boys). This is 46% higher than the total number of arrivals in 2021 (24,147).
• About 67% of the children who arrived in Europe in 2022 were unaccompanied or separated. The main nationalities were Egypt, Tunisia, Afghanistan, and the Syrian Arab Republic.
• Of all the children who sought international protection in Europe in 2022 (234,710), some 158,685 or 69% were registered in just four countries: Germany (35%), France (15%), Austria (10%) and Spain (9%). Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Somalia were the top 3 countries for child first-time asylum seekers overall.
• In 2022, IOM continued its support of relocation under existing schemes in Greece, Malta, and Italy. Some 297 children were relocated by IOM from Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Malta to other European countries in 2022, in close cooperation with involved governments and partner agencies such as UNHCR, UNICEF, and EUAA, and under overall coordination by DG HOME.

Read & Download: Overview of Trends January to December 2022 - Refugee and Migrant Children via Mixed Migration Routes in Europe Accompanied, Unaccompanied, and Separated