A general term for any person who is seeking international protection. In some countries, it is used as a legal term referring to a person who has applied for refugee status or a complementary international protection status and has not yet received a final decision on their claim. It can also refer to a person who has not yet submitted an application but may intend to do so, or may be in need of international protection. Not every asylum-seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee, but every refugee is initially an asylum seeker. However, an asylum-seeker may not be sent back to their country of origin until their asylum claim has been examined in a fair procedure, and is entitled to certain minimum standards of treatment pending determination of their status.

Asylum seekers are those waiting for a decision to be legally identified as refugees (UNHCR, 2015). Asylum seekers are subject to more legal constraint compared to refugees, especially with respect to accessing work, education or training. The average waiting time for a decision on an asylum claim varies from one country to another.