A total of 2,775 irregular immigrants reached Malta last year and new applications for asylum numbered 2,608.

The National Statistics Office said in a statement marking World Refugee Day, whcih is being celebrated tomorrow, that, last year, 84 boats carrying 2,775 irregular immigrants reached Maltese shores.

This was an increase of 24 percent in the number of boats translating into 1,073 more irregular immigrants.

The increase in recorded arrivals was reflected in the higher number of new applications for asylum filed with the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, which, at 2,608, almost doubled. The majority of applicants were Africans.

In 2008, 2,697 asylum decisions were taken by the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees. Of these, 19 applicants were granted refugee status, 1,397 obtained subsidiary or other forms of protection, while 1,281 applications were rejected.

More than 80 percent of these positive decisions were granted to males and 89 were in respect of children under 18.

Last December, 1,625 were residing in open centres. Another 270 were living in institutional households. Seven percent of the population in open centres were minors.

The NSO said that last year 3,013 third-country nationals were found to be illegally residing in Malta and were subject to an obligation to leave this country. The majority were aged between 18 and 34.

In the same year, the police coordinated a total of 303 returns to a third country.

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