Migrations: Albania

09 December 2002

Within the diversified migratory landscape of the Balkans, the Albanian reality represents an extreme case. Having one of the highest emigration rate in the world, Albania has been affected in its national economy at a double level: one the one hand, increased remittances from emigrants; on the other, complex dynamics of brain drain.

Since the end of the enverist regime, backward economic conditions, recurrent political and social crises, proximity of EU member States have increased an already outstanding migratory flux. As reported by the Albanian Immigration Department, from 1990 to 1997 around 500,000 Albanian citizens – corresponding to 15 percent of the entire population – has emigrated.
In the following years the flow has not substantially decreased: according to1999 estimates, the number of Albanian residents abroad still accounted for 500,000. Recent data, however, indicate a diminution of the migratory potential of Albania and even irregular fluxes to a great extent represent transitional migrations. Throughout the decade, main destinations of Albanian immigrants have been Greece and Italy, where emigrants respectively constitute the first and the second biggest migrant communities. In the second half of the Nineties, emigration towards Canada and United States has progressively gained relevance.

The migratory phenomenon had repercussions on all aspects of economic and social life: socio-demographic studies tell of young and highly educated emigrants (in the Nineties, 40 percent of lecturers and researchers from Universities and other scientific institutions have left the country).
As a consequence, positive effects like the lightening of the job market were countered by negative implications such as the loss of human resources fundamental for the development of the country. The Canadian Government policy to select Albanian graduates in scientific topics and to allow them preferential immigration channels has granted to the brain drain the denomination of Canadian phenomenon. Remittances by emigrants are central to the Albanian economy and they are estimated to amount to one fifth of the national GDP.

Apart from being a country of origin, Albania experiences transitory migrations on its own territory. The Albanian government's low capability to control the territory facilitated the emergence of organisations acting as points of referral for human trafficking networks. These groups are particularly active in the area of Vlor� and well connected to their Italian and international partners.