Migration flows: Eastern, Central and Western routes
Yearly irregular arrivals (2015-2026)
Data up to February 2026. Western route refers to Western Mediterranean and Western African routes.
Irregular arrivals in the EU have decreased significantly since the peak of the migration crisis in 2015.
In 2026, 10 781 irregular arrivals were registered so far. The breakdown per migratory route is as follows:
Central route: 3 214 arrivals
Eastern route: 3 088 arrivals
Western routes: 4 479 arrivals
Figures for the Western route exclude arrivals in Ceuta on 17 and 18 May 2021.
Monthly irregular arrivals (2015-2026)
Data up to February 2026. Western route refers to Western Mediterranean and Western African routes.
In February 2026, 5 410 irregular arrivals have been registered. The breakdown per migratory route is as follows:
Central route: 1 973 arrivals
Eastern route: 1 184 arrivals
Western routes: 2 253 arrivals
Figures for the Western route exclude arrivals in Ceuta on 17 and 18 May 2021.
Top nationalities per route (2026)
Data up to February 2026. Western route arrivals exclude arrivals to Canary Islands.
In 2026, the top nationalities of irregular arrivals were:
- Unknown: 1 564 on the Eastern route
- Bangladesh: 1 025 on the Central route
- Algeria: 853 on the Western route
For more information on the EU's response to migratory flows, visit the following pages:
Last review: 20 March 2026
