The think tank Providus published the “Compendium "Migration policy without a compass: data and procedures are there; there is no strategy", which include conclusions on asylum.
It noted that an increase in asylum applications in the past 9 years, especially in 2023. The main countries of origin of asylum seekers were Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, India and Iraq. While the number of persons granted refugee and subsidiary protection has increased since 2020, it remains below earlier peak levels.
A major driver of recent migration dynamics is the arrival of Ukrainian civilians, who have received the largest share of temporary residence permits for temporary protection since 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The article highlights integration challenges affecting beneficiaries of international and temporary protection, particularly in access to employment and education. A key barrier identified is the lack of Latvian language skills, which limits access to jobs matching qualifications and affects both Ukrainian beneficiaries and other protected groups.