International mobility as a development strategy: Albania Country Report (English)

Albania is a country with a highly mobile population. Estimates suggest that over 1.2 million Albanian citizens, or more than 44 percent of the current population, have migrated abroad. Albanian migrants are typically of working age and lower-skilled, with the majority living in neighboring Italy and Greece. In its recent history, Albania has experienced multiple waves of migration, beginning with economic migration following the collapse of the communist regime, followed by family reunification, and then most recently a diversification of types of emigration. Emigration is driven by large income differentials, with Albania having one of the lowest average wage rates in Europe, and the lowest in the Western Balkans. Albanians are also progressively moving to more and further destinations in Western Europe, particularly Germany. In accordance with these geographical shifts, the profile of migrants has also diversified, with a progressively higher share of high-skilled workers. Nevertheless, asylum seeking is still prevalent, with 193,000 Albanians seeking asylum in the EU between 2010-2019, with an acceptance rate of just about 2 percent, demonstrating the differing migration pathways.