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Overview and developments
Between 1 January and 30 September 2017, 105,418 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea. This is a 20% per cent decrease compared to 2016, when 132,043 persons arrived by sea in the same period last year. Most 2017 sea arrivals (94% per cent) departed from Libya and disembarked in southern Italy. The most common nationalities of sea arrivals are Nigeria, Guinea, Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Eritrea, The Gambia, Senegal, Sudan, and Morocco. Men and women constitute 75 per cent and 11 per cent of sea arrivals, respectively, while 13 per cent of persons reaching Italian shores are unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).
Improved registration upon arrival and more effective controls at land borders in northern Italy have contributed to the majority of sea arrivals registering their asylum applications in Italy and remaining in the country. In the first nine months of 2017, over 106,000 persons lodged an asylum claim in Italy.
Individuals from nationalities with an overall international protection recognition rate of 75 per cent or higher across the EU, who arrived in Italy until 26 September, are eligible to register for the EU relocation scheme.
On 26 September, the Italian National Integration Plan was approved. The Plan incorporates a number of recommendations UNHCR advocated for, including the inclusion of asylum-seekers in activities to facilitate integration and measures to ensure job opportunities for beneficiaries of international protection.