El Salvador: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, El Salvador's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin fell 20.8% on 2024 (from 136,774 to 108,289).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +25.1% and a typical year strayed about 126% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 584.1% in 2013 and the biggest yearly fall was 84.2% in 2010. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 24% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, El Salvador had the 21st highest value of the 190 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to El Salvador in the 2025 ranking

• Eritrea — 18th of 190: 118,444
• Türkiye — 19th of 190: 117,576
• Peru — 20th of 190: 113,900
• China — 22nd of 190: 99,716
• Iraq — 23rd of 190: 96,887
• Bangladesh — 24th of 190: 92,441

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 39 (2025)
• Argentina — 4,621 (2025)
• Bahamas, The — 760 (2025)
• Barbados — 722 (2025)
• Belize — 1,382 (2025)
• Bolivia — 6,747 (2025)
• Brazil — 66,672 (2025)
• Cayman Islands — 5 (2025)
• Chile — 23,057 (2025)
• Colombia

More social protection & labor data for El Salvador

• Net migration — -23,934 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin — 68,182 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum — 182 (2025)
• Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) — 2.93% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 48.63% (2025)
• Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) — 63.26% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 76.87% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is El Salvador's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?

108,289 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 38.64% from 176,478 in 2000 (1.93% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 176,478 in 2000 and the lowest 1,543 in 2010.

How does El Salvador rank?

21st highest of 190 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin unusual for El Salvador?

In 2025, El Salvador's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin fell 20.8% on 2024 (from 136,774 to 108,289). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +25.1% and a typical year strayed about 126% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EO, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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