Drastic drop in arrival of irregular migrants during 2015

10,443 irregular migrants reached Malta over seven years • Only 100 migrants reached Malta in 2015

The number of irregular migrants reaching Malta’s shores in 2015 dropped drastically when compared to the years 2008 and 2013.

Information tabled in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela shows that the numbers dropped from 2,775 in 2008 arrivals to just 100 in 2015.

Last year’s figure is part of the much larger total of irregular migrants and refugees who sought shelter in Europe: over a million irregular migrants and refugees reached Europe in 2015, mostly from Syria, Africa and South Asia.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) counted 999,745 irregular arrivals from across the Mediterranean, including migrants travelling by both land and sea to Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy and Cyprus, besides Malta.

Despite the drop in numbers, a MaltaToday survey published yesterday showed that concern on immigration has risen by two points: a fifth of the Maltese still consider irregular migration as a major concern despite a lull in migrant arrivals in the past two years.

Arrivals

2008 – 2,775

2009 – 1,475

2010 – 47

2011 – 1,579

2012 – 1,890

2013 – 2,008

2014 – 569

2015 – 100