Illegal boat-migrant arrivals in Malta in 2025 have remained nearly flat compared to last year with 8 boats and 246 migrants in total. The 2024 figure was 6 boats and 238 migrants. The statistics were published by the NSO marking World Refugee Day.
The EU is tightening its asylum procedures this year allowing for faster-track deportations in recently approved regulations. The term “Fortress Europe” has often been used by critics to describe Europe’s closed-border regime for illegal migrants.
In 2025, 41.3% of migrant arrivals in Europe were from Asia while Syrians were the largest national group with 22.9%. 54.5% of migrant arrivals were aged from 18 to 34 years.
As of the end of 2025, Malta had 2,493 persons benefiting from temporary protection, with 99.2% being Ukrainian nationals. The majority of beneficiaries were female comprising of 66.8%, and 23.3% were minors aged 0-17 .
There were also up to 211 individuals were residing in open centres, an increase of 9.3% compared to the previous year. 93.8% were residing in Ħal Far, with male residents making up 80.6% of the open centre population. Sudanese citizens accounted for the largest share comprising up to 15.2%, followed by Somali nationals at 11.8%.
In 2025, 36 persons were relocated from Malta to another EU country, while two were resettled outside of the EU. Additionally, 23 persons returned to their country of origin through Assisted Voluntary Return programmes.
Across the EU, returns also increased in 2025. 491,950 third-country nationals were ordered to leave an EU country, an increase of 5.8% compared to 2024. Of these, 135,460 were returned to a third country following an order to leave, up by 20.9% from the previous year. Germany recorded the highest number of returns, followed by France and Sweden, while the largest national groups returned were citizens of Turkey, Georgia, Syria and Albania. The figures show that removals are increasing, but also that the number of people actually returned remains much lower than the number ordered to leave.
Newsroom
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